DEFIBRILLATION - A BURNING ISSUE IN CORONARY-CARE UNITS

Skin burns are accepted to be a complication of defibrillation, howeve r there is no published data on their frequency, cause and treatment. A postal questionnaire survey was designed to assess the relative freq uency of defibrillation burns in coronary care units and identify the possible factors contributing to their occurrence. Treatments prescrib ed in coronary care units were also noted. The questionnaire was sent to the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse in all 263 coronary care units in th e United Kingdom. 232 Replies were received (88.2%). Defibrillation bu rns were seen in 98.7% of CCU's. Ten contributory factors were propose d The commonest implicated cause was recurrent defibrillation. The mos t frequently prescribed topical treatment was 1% silver sulphadiazine cream (Flamazine). Defibrillation burns are relatively common in coron ary care units. Many result from recurrent defibrillation and may be u navoidable in the patient undergoing prolonged resuscitation However t here are other identifiable factors which, if avoided, may lead to a r eduction in the number of burns seen.