2 Smoke inhalation and airway injury

Respiratory tract injury makes a significant contribution to the morbidity and mortality of burned patients. Injury may be thermal damage to the upper airway, leading to potential airway obstruction, or damage to the lower airway from smoke inhalation, leading to increased capillary permeability. The burned patient may also develop sepsis and respiratory infection. The combination of insults also leads to respiratory failure, which is the leading cause of death in burns patients. The use of sophisticated diagnostic and management techniques does not appear to have reduced the associated mortality rate. The improved knowledge of the pathophysiology of smoke inhalation and the use of experimental therapies in animals allows a more rational approach to the management of smoke inhalation.