
Objectives:
Swallowing disorders or dysphagia, following severe burns can lead to dehydration, malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia, prolonged hospitalization and associated deterioration in quality of life. Concomitant psychological factors and burn injuries add a layer of complexity to the rehabilitation program. This case report highlights and emphasizes the role of the speech therapist in the multidisciplinary team approach.
Methods:
A 77-year-old female, with history of two strokes, psychiatric problems including anxiety and depression over the last 30 years sustained 25 % full thickness head and neck and thorax burns with inhalation injury due to suicide attempt by pouring and igniting pure spirit on herself. She was admitted on the day of injury and had a tracheotomy on the 5th post-burn day. Initial positive Evan’s Blue Dye Test on the 40th post-admission day showed penetration. A fiberopticendoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) revealed severe oropharyngeal phase dysphagia characterized by delayed swallow initiation, pharyngeal pooling with residuals and penetration with silent aspiration of puree and liquid. Based on these results, a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube was placed and she was referred to speech therapy for the rehabilitation of dysphagia.
Results:
Repeat FEES after 26 sessions of therapy (3 times weekly), showed improvement in swallow function. She was able to clear residuals with multiple swallows. Coordination and swallow initiation speed increased enough to initiate oral feeding with the speech therapist. The patient’s dysphagia improved after 26 sessions and continued to improve over the following month. After 39 sessions she started oral feeding and drinking. After that, a Video Fluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS) was performed and she had the removal of her gastrostomy tube and could be discharged. Although an SLT is not a standard member of our Burns Unit her contribution in the rehabilitation of this long hospitalized patient was immense.
Conclusions:
SLTs are involved in the assessment and treatment of dysphagia for patients with burn injury. This case report emphasizes that burn management takes a team effort, including an early diagnosis and management of swallowing impairment. SLT has become a valuable member in the burn care team, in order to facilitate through multidisciplinary collaboration burns patients rehabilitation.


**Objectives:**
Swallowing disorders or dysphagia, following severe burns can lead to dehydration, malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia, prolonged hospitalization and associated deterioration in quality of life. Concomitant psychological factors and burn injuries add a layer of complexity to the rehabilitation program. This case report highlights and emphasizes the role of the speech therapist in the multidisciplinary team approach.
**Methods:**
A 77-year-old female, with history of two strokes, psychiatric problems including anxiety and depression over the last 30 years sustained 25 % full thickness head and neck and thorax burns with inhalation injury due to suicide attempt by pouring and igniting pure spirit on herself. She was admitted on the day of injury and had a tracheotomy on the 5th post-burn day. Initial positive Evan’s Blue Dye Test on the 40th post-admission day showed penetration. A fiberopticendoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) revealed severe oropharyngeal phase dysphagia characterized by delayed swallow initiation, pharyngeal pooling with residuals and penetration with silent aspiration of puree and liquid. Based on these results, a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube was placed and she was referred to speech therapy for the rehabilitation of dysphagia.
**Results:**
Repeat FEES after 26 sessions of therapy (3 times weekly), showed improvement in swallow function. She was able to clear residuals with multiple swallows. Coordination and swallow initiation speed increased enough to initiate oral feeding with the speech therapist. The patient’s dysphagia improved after 26 sessions and continued to improve over the following month. After 39 sessions she started oral feeding and drinking. After that, a Video Fluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS) was performed and she had the removal of her gastrostomy tube and could be discharged. Although an SLT is not a standard member of our Burns Unit her contribution in the rehabilitation of this long hospitalized patient was immense.
**Conclusions:**
SLTs are involved in the assessment and treatment of dysphagia for patients with burn injury. This case report emphasizes that burn management takes a team effort, including an early diagnosis and management of swallowing impairment. SLT has become a valuable member in the burn care team, in order to facilitate through multidisciplinary collaboration burns patients rehabilitation.

P.094 Swallow rehabilitation of a 77-year-old female, with self-inflicted 25% burns and psychiatric premorbidity: A case report

Dear friends and colleagues,

We will be pleased to welcome you in Turin (Italy) for the 19th European Burns Association´s Congress in 2022. Italy is honored to hold the meeting of the European Burns Association for the second time, after Verona in 1995. Turin is easily reachable from everywhere in Europe, either travelling by car, train or choosing flight connections. During the meeting, held in the renewed industrial center of the main Italian historical automotive factory (i.e. Lingotto-FIAT), we will meet international burn specialists, focusing on standards of care, progresses in burn treatment, strategies to face disaster situations, with a special attention to education of younger colleagues. However, in your spare time, you might enjoy the sweet days of Italian late summer, simply wandering in the green parks and gardens along the two rivers which cross the city, or you might decide to discover the numerous art galleries, churches, palaces, libraries, walking across elegant squares and large boulevards, passing through centuries of art and history; finally, you may choose to immerse yourself in some of the most exciting museum experiences, such as the Cinema Museum and the Turin’s Egyptian museum.

Looking forward to seeing you all in Turin for the 19th European Association´s Congress in 2022!
Maurizio Stella, Congress President, Turin Burn Centre