Hospital de Dona Estefânia, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, EPE, Lisboa;
Hospital de São José, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, EPE, Lisboa;
Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal
VIII Congresso Nacional de Queimados, 13-14 Setembro 2013, Algarve, Portugal (Comunicação oral)
European Club of Pediatric Burns Workshop, 15-18 Outubro 2013, Tutzing, Alemanha (Comunicação oral)
Resumo
Burns are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Africa, particularly in "São Tome and Principe". During the Pediatric Surgery missions in this country, started in 2011 under the program "Health for all - specialties", developed by a portuguese NGO – Institute Marquês Valle Flôr, the team was faced with the problem of the treatment of the sequelae of severe burns and the challenge of establishing an effective and feasible rehabilitation program, in the medium and long term, taking into account the socio-economic and cultural development.
This paper is a review of a series of 5 missions, focusing on a few key aspects, such as:
- Training for parents and health professionals to prevent burns and acute care
- Pain control
- Therapeutic options in the sequelae of burns
- Physical therapy intervention in the rehabilitation process: intraoperative and in the outpatient clinic
- Brief review of the clinical outcomes
The approach of burned children in countries with limited resources is a challenge that extends far beyond the duration of a mission only. Its main objective is the recovery of an individual, from the standpoint of aesthetics and function, to its maximum potential as future active element in a society in evolution.