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BIOPTRON FOR THE TREATMENT OF BURNS |
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BIOPTRON Light Therapy has been used for the treatment
of burn injuries for many years. Most of us have burnt
ourselves at some point in our lives. Usually, this
can be shrugged off, as the body heals itself, but for
some people the results can be serious. However, the
vast majority of burns are those superficial injuries
that affect only a small area of the skin. These are
normally caused by the action of heat on skin, which
may include solar rays, open fires, or contact with
a hot stove or hot liquids.
The treatment of these burns depends on the depth and
severity of the injury concerned. A classification system
for these injuries was established that determines the
precise nature of treatment (conservative or surgical)
to be administered.
CLASSIFICATION OF BURNS
 First Degree Burns
First-degree burns are the mildest forms of burns.
A good example is a simple sunburn. First-degree burns
are normally characterized by some reddening of the
affected skin, a slight swelling and some pain or discomfort.
Nevertheless, the symptoms of these burns usually disappear
after a few days without leaving any scar.
Second Degree Burns
Second-degree burns are called partial thickness burns
and are divided into superficial and deep varieties.
In the superficial second-degree burn, the entire epidermis
(upper part of skin) and a superficial part of the dermis
(lower part of skin) is destroyed. However, since the
depth of burn is relatively superficial, usually there
is no long-term damage to the epidermal appendages such
as hair follicles, sweat glands or nerve endings. The
damaged skin can regenerate approximately two weeks
after the injury occurred.
 Deep Second Degree Burns
Deep second-degree burns, on the other hand, are much
more serious. There is generally damage into the deep
layer of the dermis, with only a few epidermal appendages
left at the base of the wound. These wounds often require
surgical removal of dead tissue and transplantation
of the skin (skin grafting). More than 50% of burns
are deep second-degree burns or full dermal burn wounds.
Third Degree Burns
In third-degree burns (full thickness burns) all layers
of the skin are destroyed, leaving no possibility for
the injury to heal naturally (unless the burn covers
a very small area). The wounds are pale and insensate
and the only possible treatment is surgery. The major
complications in the healing of burns are the occurrence
of infection and the development of bad scars (hypertrophic
scars and keloids) and contractures.
BIOPTRON FOR 1ST-DEGREE AND SUPERFICIAL 2ND-DEGREE
BURNS HEALING
First-degree and superficial second-degree burns can
be treated with conservative local medical treatments
in combination with BIOPTRON Light Therapy treatment.
Several studies showed that the routine use of BIOPTRON
Light Therapy for the treatment of these burns can significantly
reduce the time necessary for complete epithelisation
(regeneration of the skin) of the damaged skin (complete
healing), reducing the risk for the formation of the
functionally and aesthetically unacceptable scars. BIOPTRON
Light Therapy can reduce the need for surgery in the
treatment of deep dermal burns, particularly those located
in areas where the likelihood of scar formation after
surgery is extremely high (e.g., hands, head and neck
area).
According to the clinical findings, the application
of pressure therapy, which is part of the treatments
used in the management of burns, can start earlier if
the burn area is previously treated with the BIOPTRON
Light. Also, if the injured parts are treated with BIOPTRON
Light, the physiotherapy can be started immediately
and without interruption. This is not the case with
surgically operated hands, which always require a period
of immobilisation.
BIOPTRON ALSO SUPPORTS DEEP SECOND DEGREE BURNS HEALING
BIOPTRON Light Therapy can also be used on patients
with deep second degree burns after the surgical procedures.
BIOPTRON Light can be supportive to reduce the healing
time and hospitalisation period while improving the
quality of care.
BIOPTRON Light Therapy has become the therapy of choice
for the complementary treatment of deep dermal burns (Publication 11).
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