Burn Care in the Emergency Department: Key Steps and Recent Guidance

Abstract

Burn injuries are common presentations in emergency departments (EDs) and require rapid evaluation and early intervention to prevent complications and reduce morbidity and mortality. Initial management focuses on airway stabilization, fluid resuscitation, pain control, burn assessment, wound care, and appropriate patient disposition. Standardized algorithms such as Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) emphasize systematic evaluation based on trauma principles, including airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure. Accurate estimation of burn depth and total body surface area (TBSA) is essential to guide fluid resuscitation and determine the need for specialized burn center referral. Early analgesia, prevention of hypothermia, and evidence-based wound care are critical elements of ED management. Prehospital care and coordination with emergency medical services also play an important role in improving patient outcomes. In addition, special considerations are required for pediatric patients, rural healthcare settings, and mass casualty scenarios. Recent literature highlights the importance of standardized protocols, early multidisciplinary involvement, and improved prehospital training to optimize burn care delivery. This review summarizes key steps in emergency department burn management and discusses recent evidence guiding early stabilization, assessment, and referral decisions.