Burns & Wound Care at Changhai Hospital Shanghai | CMCS

China's National Leader in Burns & Complex Wound Management

The Department of Burns at Changhai Hospital — affiliated with Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University) — is China's most distinguished and highest-volume burns center, with a national and international reputation for excellence in the management of major burns, inhalation injury, burn reconstruction, complex wound care, and skin grafting. Consistently ranked as China's number one burns center by volume, outcomes, and research output, Changhai Hospital's burns department has pioneered burn care techniques that have saved thousands of lives and shaped burn medicine across China and Asia. The department offers international patients access to some of the world's most experienced burn surgeons and wound care specialists.

For international patients with major burns, complex wounds, burn contractures, hypertrophic scarring, or conditions requiring advanced wound management — Changhai Hospital's burns department represents the gold standard in China and one of the premier burn centers in Asia. China Medical Concierge Shanghai (CMCS) provides seamless end-to-end coordination for international patients throughout their burn and wound care journey at Changhai Hospital.

About the Department

Changhai Hospital's burns department is a national key clinical specialty and national burns training center operating dedicated burns intensive care units (BICU), laminar airflow isolation rooms for major burns, multiple burns operating theaters, a burns rehabilitation unit, a hydrotherapy suite, a hyperbaric oxygen therapy unit, a scar management clinic, a complex wound care clinic, and a burns reconstruction program. The department works in close collaboration with critical care medicine, plastic surgery, respiratory medicine, nephrology, nutrition, and rehabilitation through a fully integrated multidisciplinary team.

Faculty members publish regularly in leading burns and wound care journals including Burns, Journal of Burn Care & Research, Wound Repair and Regeneration, Burns & Trauma, and Critical Care Medicine.

Major Burns Management

Acute Burns Resuscitation

• Fluid Resuscitation — Modified Brooke and Parkland formula; colloid supplementation; urine output-guided resuscitation; avoiding over-resuscitation; albumin and fresh frozen plasma for large burns
• Airway Management — Early intubation for inhalation injury; fiberoptic bronchoscopy for airway assessment; bronchodilators; nebulized heparin and N-acetylcysteine for cast formation prevention; high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) for severe ARDS
• Burn Wound Assessment — Total body surface area (TBSA) calculation; burn depth assessment (superficial, partial thickness, full thickness); Lund and Browder chart; laser Doppler imaging for burn depth assessment
• Infection Control — Laminar airflow isolation; topical antimicrobials (silver sulfadiazine, mafenide acetate, nanocrystalline silver — Mepilex Ag, Aquacel Ag); systemic antibiotics for documented infection; anti-fungal prophylaxis for large burns; surveillance cultures
• Nutritional Support — Early enteral nutrition within 6 hours; high-protein, high-calorie formulas; indirect calorimetry for metabolic rate assessment; oxandrolone for hypermetabolism; propranolol for catecholamine excess
• Pain & Anxiety Management — Multimodal analgesia; opioids; ketamine; dexmedetomidine; procedural sedation for dressing changes

Burn Surgery

• Early Excision & Grafting (EEG) — Tangential excision within 48-72 hours for full-thickness burns; fascial excision for very deep burns; immediate autografting; reduces infection, hospital stay, and mortality
• Split-Thickness Skin Grafting (STSG) — Meshed and sheet grafts; expansion ratios up to 1:6 for large burns; dermatome harvesting; donor site management
• Full-Thickness Skin Grafting (FTSG) — For functional areas (hands, face, joints); superior cosmetic and functional outcomes
• Cultured Epithelial Autograft (CEA) — Keratinocyte culture from small skin biopsy; expansion to cover large burns; combined with dermal substitutes; for burns >60% TBSA where donor sites are limited
• Dermal Substitutes — Integra (bilayer dermal regeneration template); Matriderm; Pelnac; AlloDerm; staged reconstruction with dermal substitute followed by thin STSG; superior scar quality
• Allograft (Cadaveric Skin) — Temporary biological wound coverage for massive burns; allows donor site healing before re-harvesting; Changhai Hospital maintains one of China's most active skin banks
• Xenograft (Porcine Skin) — Temporary wound coverage; biological dressing
• Amniotic Membrane — Biological dressing for partial thickness burns and donor sites

Massive Burns (>60% TBSA)

Changhai Hospital is one of the few centers in China with the expertise and infrastructure to manage burns exceeding 60% TBSA, including burns of 80-90% TBSA that would be considered unsurvivable in many centers:

• Dedicated BICU with laminar airflow isolation
• Sequential excision and grafting strategy
• Cultured epithelial autograft (CEA) for donor site-limited patients
• Allograft skin bank for temporary coverage
• Aggressive nutritional support and metabolic management
• Multidisciplinary critical care with nephrology (CRRT for AKI), pulmonology (HFOV for ARDS), and infectious disease

Inhalation Injury

• Upper Airway Inhalation Injury — Fiberoptic bronchoscopy for assessment; early intubation; humidified oxygen; airway edema management
• Lower Airway & Parenchymal Injury — Bronchodilators; nebulized heparin; N-acetylcysteine; chest physiotherapy; prone positioning; HFOV; ECMO for refractory respiratory failure
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning — 100% oxygen; hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) for severe CO poisoning; carboxyhemoglobin monitoring
• Cyanide Poisoning — Hydroxocobalamin (Cyanokit); sodium thiosulfate

Complex Wound Care

Chronic & Non-Healing Wounds

• Diabetic Foot Ulcers — Wound debridement; offloading; vascular assessment and revascularization coordination; negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT); becaplermin (PDGF); collagen dressings; hyperbaric oxygen; skin grafting; flap reconstruction for large defects
• Pressure Injuries (Pressure Ulcers) — Stage I-IV pressure injury management; debridement; NPWT; advanced wound dressings; flap reconstruction for deep pressure injuries (gluteal, hamstring, tensor fascia lata flaps)
• Venous Leg Ulcers — Compression therapy; wound debridement; advanced dressings; skin grafting for large ulcers; coordination with vascular surgery
• Arterial Ulcers — Revascularization coordination; wound management after vascular reconstruction
• Radiation Wounds — Hyperbaric oxygen therapy; debridement; flap reconstruction for radiation necrosis
• Necrotizing Fasciitis — Emergency surgical debridement; broad-spectrum antibiotics; NPWT; reconstruction after infection control

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT)

• Standard NPWT (V.A.C. Therapy, PICO) for acute and chronic wounds
• NPWT with instillation (V.A.C. Ulta) for infected wounds
• Portable NPWT for outpatient wound management
• NPWT over skin grafts for improved graft take

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBO)

• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Radiation necrosis
• Necrotizing infections
• Compromised skin grafts and flaps
• Refractory osteomyelitis

Burn Reconstruction & Scar Management

Hypertrophic Scar & Keloid Treatment

• Pressure Garment Therapy — Custom-fitted compression garments; 23-hour daily wear for 12-24 months; silicone gel sheeting
• Intralesional Corticosteroid Injection — Triamcinolone acetonide; serial injections for hypertrophic scars and keloids
• Laser Therapy — Pulsed dye laser (PDL) for vascular scars; fractional CO2 laser for scar remodeling and texture improvement; Nd:YAG laser; one of China's most experienced burn scar laser programs
• Botulinum Toxin — Intralesional botulinum toxin for hypertrophic scars; reduces tension and improves scar quality
• Radiotherapy — Post-excision radiotherapy for keloids; electron beam therapy
• Surgical Excision — Keloid excision with adjuvant therapy; scar revision; Z-plasty and W-plasty for linear scars

Burn Contracture Release & Reconstruction

• Neck Contracture — Z-plasty; skin grafting; pre-expanded flaps; anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap for severe contractures
• Axillary Contracture — Z-plasty; local flaps; skin grafting; thoracodorsal artery perforator (TDAP) flap
• Hand & Finger Contracture — Z-plasty; full-thickness skin grafting; local flaps; web space reconstruction; tendon and joint management
• Facial Burn Reconstruction — Ectropion correction; lip reconstruction; nose reconstruction; ear reconstruction; tissue expansion; pre-expanded flaps; total face allotransplantation evaluation
• Eyelid Reconstruction — Full-thickness skin grafting; local flaps; ectropion correction; coordination with ophthalmology
• Tissue Expansion — Serial tissue expansion for scalp, face, and trunk reconstruction; pre-expanded flaps for large defect coverage
• Free Flap Reconstruction — ALT, latissimus dorsi, and other free flaps for complex burn reconstruction defects

Burns Rehabilitation

• Early Mobilization — Physiotherapy from day 1 in BICU; positioning to prevent contractures; splinting
• Occupational Therapy — Hand therapy; activities of daily living; adaptive equipment
• Hydrotherapy — Warm water immersion for wound cleaning and range of motion; pain management during dressing changes
• Scar Massage — Manual scar massage; silicone gel; moisturization
• Psychological Support — Burn trauma counseling; PTSD management; body image support; peer support programs
• Vocational Rehabilitation — Return-to-work planning; adaptive equipment; workplace modification

Why International Patients Choose Changhai Burns

• China's Number One Burns Center — Highest volume and most experienced burns program in China; national training center
• Massive Burns Expertise — One of the few centers in China capable of managing burns >60-80% TBSA
• Skin Bank — One of China's most active allograft skin banks for temporary coverage of massive burns
• CEA Program — Cultured epithelial autograft for donor site-limited massive burns
• Burn Scar Laser Program — One of China's most experienced burn scar laser programs (PDL + fractional CO2)
• Cost-Effectiveness — World-class burns and wound care at significantly lower cost than equivalent treatment in Western countries

The CMCS Patient Journey

1. Initial Inquiry — Share your burn history, TBSA estimate, wound photographs, prior treatment records, and current clinical status with CMCS.
2. Medical Record Preparation — We translate and organize your records for specialist pre-consultation review.
3. Specialist Matching — We identify the most appropriate burns surgeon or wound care specialist based on your condition — acute burns, complex wounds, scar management, or burn reconstruction.
4. Priority Scheduling — We secure a consultation with minimal waiting time; emergency coordination available for acute major burns.
5. Travel & Logistics — Assistance with visa invitation letters, accessible accommodation near Changhai Hospital, and Shanghai airport transfers.
6. Admission Coordination — Full coordination of BICU admission, surgical scheduling, and rehabilitation program enrollment.
7. Rehabilitation Support — Coordination of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, scar management, and psychological support.
8. Post-Discharge Follow-Up — Wound care guidance, scar management protocol, and remote follow-up coordination after you return home.

Book a Consultation

If you or a family member has sustained major burns, has a complex non-healing wound, requires burn scar treatment, or needs burn reconstruction surgery — CMCS can arrange a specialist consultation with Changhai Hospital's burns team in Shanghai.

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