TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Escharotomy A1 - Ellison, E. Christopher A1 - Zollinger, Jr., Robert M. A1 - Pawlik, Timothy M. A1 - Vaccaro, Patrick S. A1 - Bitans, Marita A1 - Baker, Anthony S. Y1 - 2022 N1 - T2 - Zollinger’s Atlas of Surgical Operations, 11e AB - As in cases of other forms of injury, there is expected development of soft tissue edema near burn injuries. However, larger burns (in excess of 20% total body surface area), edema of soft tissue remote to the burn commonly develops as well. If the edema develops under normal skin or skin with a superficial injury, the skin will stretch and allow for a change in volume of the underlying tissue. However, when the skin suffers a full-thickness burn (eschar), the desiccated tissue loses its elasticity. The inelasticity of the overlying burned skin, when it is circumferential on an extremity, can cause these tissue pressures to exceed normal perfusion pressures, thereby compromising blood flow to the extremity. On the trunk, a full-thickness circumferential burn can compromise respiratory mechanics, creating an extrinsic restriction of ventilation. Escharotomies are performed to relieve the restriction imposed by the layer of necrotic, inelastic skin. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accesssurgery.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1187824753 ER -