UF Health Shands Burn Center

UF Health acute care surgeons work with hand surgeons, pediatric surgeons, nurses and social workers. We provide thorough and compassionate care for adults and children with a burn injury, a severe skin disorder or a difficult/chronic wound problem. We also provide assistance to patients following complex corrective or reconstructive surgeries.

We offer a full spectrum of burn care from outpatient services to the most advanced level of inpatient critical care medicine.

In 1973, we opened a six-bed burn intensive care unit with the support of Eugene Tubbs, MD, who was a legislator, physician and attorney. In 1988, a new unit was opened. Hal G. Bingham, MD, served as the unit's medical director, overseeing its expansion to eight beds. David W. Mozingo, MD, became the unit's medical director in 1996 after Dr. Bingham's retirement. Under Dr. Mozingo's direction, the unit was verified as a Burn Center by the American Burn Association with eight beds and outpatient services expanded to include wound care. In 2019, the unit relocated to a leading-edge 27-bed unit. Ian Driscoll, MD, became the unit's medical director in July 2019 after Dr. Mozingo's retirement. Dr. Driscoll works closely with the pediatric surgery service to provide a multidisciplinary, team approach to treating patients and saving lives.

Admissions

Patients with burns are initially treated at an emergency department. Following assessment and treatment, the emergency department refers patients to our burn center.

Referral criteria

The American Burn Association identified the following criteria for referrals to a burn center:

• Second-degree burns greater than or equal to 10% of the total body surface area
• Burns that involve the face, hands, feet, genitalia, perineum or major joints
• Third-degree burns in any age group
• Electrical burns, including lightning injury
• Chemical burns
• Inhalation injury
• Pre-existing medical disorders that could complicate management, prolong recovery or affect mobility
• Burns and concomitant trauma (other injuries such as broken bones; fractures; brain injuries; inhalation injuries or abdominal trauma) in which injury poses the greatest risk of morbidity or mortality
• Children needing qualified personnel and equipment

Patients who require special social, emotional or long-term rehab intervention

Research at the Burn Center

As part of an academic medical center, we are committed to being actively involved in research. Through research we can continue to innovate and provide leading-edge clinical care. By studying materials or medications that may decrease hospital length of stay, improve healing time, improve cosmetic outcomes and lower costs, we help improve patient outcomes.

Current research studies include:

• Comparing a new topical cream to standard burn cream as it relates to severe burn treatment
• Evaluating the impact of traditional burn treatments on swallowing
• Studying the characteristics of healing in burn victims in order to improve future health care
• Use of skin graft adhesive to improve healing and decrease pain from staples
• Analyzing fluids and tissue from chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers, decubitus and venous stasis ulcers to better understand the healing properties
• New Antimicrobial therapy for ventilator associated pneumonias
• New medications to improve pain management in the thermally injured burn patient
• Participate in multicenter trial groups to better understand disease states such as TENS and Purpura Fulminans, as well as general burn care

As new therapies become available in the area of burns and chronic wounds, we will be offering further research.