Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

The effects on the metabolic rate and nutrition of patients with severe burns following treatment with infrared heat

1978; Elsevier BV; Volume: 5; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0305-4179(78)80039-4

1879-1409

G. Arturson, Ulf Danielsson, L. Wennberg,

Thermal Regulation in Medicine

Patients with extensive thermal injuries have a tremendous, long-lasting increase in transcutaneous heat loss by increased radiation, convection and evaporation. Their ability to regulate skin temperature and heat loss is limited, and the core-skin insulation is inadequate. If the burn patients are permitted to control the heat supply from infrared heaters until they feel comfortable and all kinds of external environmental disturbances are eliminated, it is possible to reduce their metabolic rate to the normal value for the actual core temperature. The daily caloric requirements can be estimated and in patients receiving a combined parenteral-enteral dietary programme and infrared heat, weight loss can be entirely avoided. Infrared radiation is a practical and inexpensive way of distributing energy from the environment to the patient, suitable also in disaster situations. The ambient air temperature can be kept comfortable with respect to the patient's airways and to the nursing staff. It is important to avoid hypovolaemia, pain, fear and anxiety which all increase the metabolic rate.