RT Book, Section A1 Ellison, E. Christopher A1 Zollinger, Robert M. SR Print(0) ID 1127412258 T1 ESCHAROTOMY T2 Zollinger's Atlas of Surgical Operations, 10e YR 2016 FD 2016 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 978-0-07-179755-9 LK accesssurgery.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1127412258 RD 2024/03/29 AB When the skin suffers a full-thickness burn (eschar) it loses its elasticity. At the same time, there is a shifting of fluid in the underlying subcutaneous tissues into the adjacent interstitial space. With this fluid shift comes an increase in tissue pressure. The inelasticity of the overlying burned skin, when it is circumferential on an extremity, can cause these tissue pressures to exceed the pulse pressure, thereby compromising blood flow to the extremity. On the anterior trunk, a full-thickness burn eschar can compromise respiratory mechanics, which is seen clinically as the inability of the patient to ventilate followed by the inability to oxygenate. To relieve these pressures and restore perfusion and/or correct respiratory mechanics, escharotomies are performed.