The Different Degree of Burns
Case Study #2 1. Epidermis: Is the top layer of the skin. It is made up of stratified squamous cells called keratinized cells. The top layer is dead keratinocyte. Dermis: Is the middle layer of skin. This is where skin gets its color. Melanin, hemoglobin, and carotene are located here. Also many glands are in the dermis such as sweat glands, oil glands, hair/hair follicles, nails. Hypodermis: is the bottom layer of the skin. It contains adipose tissue, fat, and blood vessels. 2. 1st degree burns (Superficial) damage only the epidermis. The burn site is red and dry, with no blisters and is mildly painful. a. 2nd degree burns or partial thickness burns involve the epidermis, upper dermis, and some parts of the lower dermis. Burn site is red, moist and maybe blistered, swollen and very painful. b. 3rd degree or full thickness burns burn through the epidermis, dermis, and extend into the hypodermis. The burn site rages in color, from patchy white to brown. This burn has a dry leathery texture. This causes little or no pain because the receptors have been destroyed. 3. The girl from the case study, Angela had little to no pain when she awoke because the burns had affected her hypodermis and destroyed most of her pain receptors. 4. her blood pressure was low because she lost blood during the fire, her heart rate was high because the heart had to work harder to pump the blood around the body and to the damaged cites. 5. Angela needed fluids because of her low blood pressure, and was most likely dehydrated from the fire. And because of the loss of skin, the body has trouble holding water. 6. Broad spectrum antibiotics protect against many different infectious bacteria. She needed this because her skin was at risk for infection. Yes healthy skin is colonized my different types of bacteria. 7. A skin graft was necessary because the damage to the skin was too sever to heal on its own, and would result in a lot of