[The experience of the management of burn sepsis with different strategies in our department during the past 29 years].
OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively sum up the experiences in the prevention and treatment of sepsis after thermal injury.


METHODS
From January 1970 through October 1998, altogether 5 330 burn patients were admitted to our burn center, and among them 451 patients developed sepsis. To analyze the efficacy of different treatment strategies developed during these 29 years, three periods were divided, namely 1970 to 1979, 1980 to 1992, and 1993 to 1998. The incidence and mortality of sepsis were compared, thereupon the efficacy of different treatment strategies were analyzed.


RESULTS
The overall incidence and mortality of sepsis in all patients and those in patients with burn extent exceeding 30% TBSA were significantly lower in the latter period compared with the former two periods (P < 0.05 similar 0.01). In addition, in the last period, blood levels of LPS, TNFalpha, IL -- 6, and IL -- 8 were obviously higher throughout the course of MODS, especially before death, in the patients who finally died of sepsis, complicated by MODS, compared with those in the survivors (P < 0.05 similar 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Summing up our experiences, it is our belief that the treatment strategies for prevention of postburn sepsis in extensively burned patients should include rapid, adequate fluid resuscitation for burn shock, effective control of infection, early excision of deep burnwounds followed by good skin coverage, and reinforcement of organ support. Once burn wound sepsis occurs, prompt removal of infected necrotic tissue is the key procedure to ensure a successful result.
Chai
J
J
Burns Institute, 304th Hospital of PLA Beijing 100037, China.
Sheng
Z
Z
Guo
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000628:therapy*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents