Thermal burns are skin injuries caused by excessive heat, typically from contact with hot surfaces, hot liquids, steam, or flame. Thermal burns are a complex, destructive heat injury characterized by a zone of coagulation, a surrounding area of stasis (stagnation of blood or other fluids) and a border of erythema (skin redness from capillary dilation). Ischemic tissue death quickly follows burns. Obstructed capillaries block circulation below the injury. Thermal burns leads to.

• Marked inflammatory response with vascular derangement from activated platelets.
• White cell adhesion with resultant edema, hypoxia, and vulnerability to severe infection.
• Poor white cell function caused by the local environment exacerbates this problem.

• HBOT minimizes edema and provides oxygen to deprived areas. Blocks white cells from adhering to endothelial cell walls, interrupting the process of blood vessel damage. Reduces healing time for major burns, particularly if burns are 2nd degree. • Fourth degree burns, most often seen in high voltage electrical injuries, benefit from reduced fascial compartment pressures. Injured muscle swelling is reduced by preserving aerobic glycolysis, and later by reducing risk of anaerobic infection. • Decreases need for grafting, reduces hospital length of stay, and decreases total health care cost.