Current Management of Major Burns in Children
- Dr. Nikki Allorto — Dr Nikki Allorto qualified as a specialist general surgeon in South Africa in 2010. She has been developing her interest in burns from early on in her surgical training. In 2012 she was awarded her master’s degree in costing of burn care. She is a clinical lecturer at the University of KwaZulu Natal as well as the London School of Medicine, Queen Mary University of London and involved in numerous training initiatives. She was awarded the Association of Surgeons of South Africa Travelling Fellowship in 2011 and used this to gain valuable experience in the burn unit at Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia. She has presented research at local and international congresses and published in peer-reviewed journals on burn related topics. She is currently doing her PHD on surgery for burns in low resource settings. She has established the Pietermaritzburg burn service in KwaZulu Natal over the last 10 years and is currently employed at Greys Hospital as a specialist surgeon running this service She enjoys collaboration and system development. She is involved in all aspects of burn care from research and teaching, resource management, surgery, outreach and telemedicine. She has developed burn databases for audit and quality improvement. She adopts novel technology for the improvement of system efficiency and outreach of her expertise to rural hospitals. She is the Past President of the Pan-African Burn Society, a past African representative on the International Society for Burn Injuries (ISBI) executive committee and past president of The South African Burn Society. As the founder of the public benefit organisation, the South African Burn Care Trust, she has raised funds towards improving burn care in the state sector, by for example the purchase of equipment for skin grafting, although they have done several other initiatives.
Paediatrics
Major burns in children require prompt, structured management because fluid loss, temperature instability, and metabolic demands can rapidly lead to serious complications. Initial care prioritizes airway assessment, breathing and circulation, early recognition of inhalation injury, and appropriate pain control. Burn size and depth should be assessed to guide fluid resuscitation, with close monitoring of vital signs, urine output, and electrolyte balance. Wound care includes cleansing, suitable dressings, infection prevention, and early specialist assessment for possible surgical intervention. Nutritional support, temperature regulation, and psychological care are important throughout recovery. Children with extensive burns benefit from multidisciplinary management involving pediatric emergency teams, intensivists, burn surgeons, nurses, dietitians, and rehabilitation specialists to improve survival and long-term function. The Pan African Pediatric Surgical Association (PAPSA) would conduct a medical conference entitled "Current Management of Major Burns in Children".