HISTOPATHOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SCALDS AND CONTACT BURNS IN THE PIG MODEL

A method was developed to inflict standardized scald burns in the New Yorkshire pig. The tissue damage was compared to a standardized contac t burn model. On each flank, six localizations were marked in a symmet rical way. Eight scald burns covering 45 cm2 were inflicted by exposin g the prepared skin to 500 ml tap water in an applicator at 80-degrees -C for 10, 20, 30 and 40 s. Four contact burns were inflicted by apply ing a brass block of 45 cm2 area, weight 450 gram, with a temperature of 170-degrees-C for 10 and 20 s on the skin without exerting pressure . The right flank was used for macroscopic observation, the left flank for histopathological evaluation. Full thickness biopsies were taken at postburn days (PBD) 0, 1, 2, 3 and 21. In the contact burns, a clea r demarcation zone of viable and necrotic dermal tissue and vascular d amage was observed. The tissue damage in the scalds showed an intermin gled pattern of intact and damaged collagen. The more severe scald bur ns showed a structurally intact superficial vascular plexus, in combin ation with destruction of the deep vascular plexus. Current and new me thods of scald treatment can be classified in this standardized animal model.