A survey of burn hydrotherapy in the United States.

One hundred burn care facilities in the United States were surveyed to determine the present use of hydrotherapy in burn care. It was found that 92% of the burn units that were polled practice this treatment in some form. There was no consensus as to how the procedure is carried out, how long it takes, how often it is done, or who does it. Most burn facilities that were contacted use a disinfectant solution for hydrotherapy, and the procedure is carried out once a day for 30 minutes or less. In most of these facilities, nurses perform the procedure. Although immersion therapy continues to play an important role in most burn care facilities, spray or shower techniques are also incorporated into many programs.