What is an escharotomy?

What is an escharotomy?

• A. Incision through eschar to relieve pressure.
• B. Removal of eschar on wound/burn.
• C. Application of topical antibiotics.
• D. Skin grafting.

Answer: (A)

Relieving pressure from the burned skin by cutting through the eschar to release constriction. When a circumferential burn forms an inelastic eschar, it acts like a tight shell that can compress blood vessels and, in the chest, limit expansion of the lungs. An escharotomy makes a controlled incision through the burned tissue so the skin and underlying structures can expand, restoring blood flow to the affected area and improving breathing in chest burns. It’s a decompression procedure, not a removal of dead tissue or a later cosmetic step. Debridement would involve removing dead tissue, topical antibiotics are part of wound care, and skin grafting is a reconstructive step after acute management. So the best answer is the incision through the eschar to relieve pressure.

Relieving pressure from the burned skin by cutting through the eschar to release constriction. When a circumferential burn forms an inelastic eschar, it acts like a tight shell that can compress blood vessels and, in the chest, limit expansion of the lungs. An escharotomy makes a controlled incision through the burned tissue so the skin and underlying structures can expand, restoring blood flow to the affected area and improving breathing in chest burns. It’s a decompression procedure, not a removal of dead tissue or a later cosmetic step. Debridement would involve removing dead tissue, topical antibiotics are part of wound care, and skin grafting is a reconstructive step after acute management. So the best answer is the incision through the eschar to relieve pressure.