The respiratory insult in burns injury

SummaryInhalation injury may result from numerous noxious triggers and in association with other injuries, the most common being cutaneous burns. While patients with severe burns often require transfer to a regional unit for specialist management, this is not the case for those with inhalation injury associated with minor burns or occurring in isolation. These latter patients may require management in a general intensive care unit and yet they present some unique challenges to the clinician that may otherwise go unnoticed. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the pathophysiology, presentation and management of patients with inhalation injury by way of a guide to those who manage such patients on an infrequent basis.