A review of triage and management of burns victims following a nuclear disaster

The field of combined injury is relatively unfamiliar to burn surgeons. The mortality and morbidity of combined injury victims is higher than that of the injuries separately. The secondary consequences of radiation exposure, e.g. immunosuppression, infection, bleeding and fluid and electrolyte loss, significantly affects the management plan for burn victims. Increased work loads on medical personnel and the hospital further affects the management plan and outcome adversely. Based on previous experiences and experimental studies by various authors, a plan for management of burn victims in nuclear casualties is presented for effective utilization of available resources for overloaded burn centres in emergency situations. The proper recording of the experience of such situations is stressed.