AttendMe Owl Logo
AttendMe
Sign In
All Pathways
Plastic SurgeryDiagnostic

Burn Depth Assessment Algorithm

Burn Depth Assessment Algorithm: Burn Injury Assessment → Wound Appearance → Superficial (1st Degree) → Conservative Care.

Interactive Decision Tree

Mini Map

Algorithm Steps

  1. ▶
    Start

    Burn Injury Assessment

    1. ◆
      Decision

      Wound Appearance

      1. ●
        Action

        Superficial (1st Degree)

        Erythema, dry, painful, no blisters

        • Sunburn-like
        • Blanches with pressure
        • Heals 3-5 days
        1. ■
          End

          Conservative Care

          Moisturizer, analgesia, no dressing needed

      2. ●
        Action

        Superficial Partial (2nd Degree)

        Blisters, moist, very painful

        • Pink/red wound bed
        • Brisk capillary refill
        • Heals 7-21 days
        1. ■
          End

          Wound Care

          Debride blisters, antimicrobial dressing

      3. ●
        Action

        Deep Partial (2nd Degree)

        Pale, decreased sensation

        • Sluggish capillary refill
        • May need excision/grafting
        • Heals 21-35+ days with scarring
      4. ●
        Action

        Full Thickness (3rd Degree)

        Waxy, leathery, no sensation

        • No blanching
        • Thrombosed vessels
        • Requires excision and grafting
        1. ■
          End

          Surgical Evaluation

          Burn center referral, likely excision/grafting

Guideline Source

ABA Guidelines for Burn Wound Assessment

DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2016.03.001View Guideline

Clinical Safety Information

Clinical Decision Support — Not a Substitute for Clinical Judgment

Individual patient factors may require deviation from these recommendations.

Known Limitations

  • Depth may evolve over 48-72 hours
  • Difficult to assess in dark skin tones
  • LDI may aid indeterminate cases
  • Chemical and electrical burns behave differently

Applicable Regions

USAUUKEU

AU: ANZBA guidelines

UK: Similar NICE guidance

US: ABA classification

Version 1Next review: 2028-01-01

Related Plastic Surgery Pathways

Breast Reconstruction Timing Algorithm (NCCN/ASPS)

Management

Burn Center Transfer Criteria (ABA)

Diagnostic

Burn Resuscitation (Parkland Formula / ABA Guidelines)

Management

Degloving Injury Management

Emergency

Next steps

Finish the workflow by opening the most relevant calculator, then convert the session into a live account when you are ready.

Calculator

Body Mass Index

Weight classification based on height and weight

Open page

Compare

AttendMe.ai vs UpToDate

See how this pathway workflow compares against UpToDate.

Open page

Commercial

Start free

Run the pathway in a live AttendMe account with citations and tracked usage.

Start free

Related Resources

All Clinical PathwaysClinical CalculatorsAI Chat with Auto-Detection

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Burn Depth Assessment Algorithm?

The Burn Depth Assessment Algorithm is a diagnostic clinical algorithm for Plastic Surgery. It provides a structured decision tree to guide clinical decision-making, based on ABA Guidelines for Burn Wound Assessment.

What guideline is the Burn Depth Assessment Algorithm based on?

This algorithm is based on ABA Guidelines for Burn Wound Assessment (DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2016.03.001).

What are the limitations of the Burn Depth Assessment Algorithm?

Known limitations include: Depth may evolve over 48-72 hours; Difficult to assess in dark skin tones; LDI may aid indeterminate cases; Chemical and electrical burns behave differently. Individual patient factors may require deviation from these recommendations.

Get AI-Powered Analysis Alongside This Algorithm

In AttendMe.ai, the Burn Depth Assessment Algorithm appears automatically when your clinical question matches — alongside evidence from 3M+ peer-reviewed articles.

Try AttendMe Free