Abstract
Introduction: Despite great advances in burn medicine there is still not so much known about pain after acute phase and during reconstructive surgery and following life of burn patients. The aim of the study was to specify the prevalence and characteristics of "chronic" pain being caused by extent, localization, depth in burn injury and its effect on the quality of life and to determinate risk factors of the "chronic" pain origin.
Methods: To patients with extensive burn injury (more than 20% body surface) hospitalized at the Department of Burns in the Hospital Královské Vinohrady a questionnaire was sent 6-12 months after the end of their hospitalization. The questionnaire asked about basic parameters of life quality, incidence and intensity of pain and other sensory disorders of skin.
This was a prospective observational study following the previous monitoring of acute pain and other side effects of therapy with burn trauma. For statistical analysis they were used the Fisher test, Mann-Whitney test, xi-square test with Yates correction.
Results: Results are taken from 23 patients in group of 125 addressed patients. Backflow of study was 18 per cents.
One-third of burn patients experiences chronic pain which doesn't affect quality of their life. Almost half of burns has itching and disorder of sensitivity burn skin.
Conclusions: Pain is globally considered as an important factor affecting the quality of life for patients. Not only for this reason the study is aimed at patient view to therapy.
The possibilities how to improve this condition are to minimize risk factors that are extent, localization and depth of injury and severity of acute pain during hospitalization