A news team from Des Moines television station KCCI had the opportunity to learn about the care and treatment of burn victims at the state's only certified burn treatment center, located at UI Hospitals and Clinics.

Among the highlights of the story:

• Anyone who suffers serious burns in Iowa will probably get long-term treatment at UI Hospitals and Clinics.
• UI burn specialist Lucy Wibbenmeyer, MD: "We still get a fair amount every year of very large burns, and that's hard. It's hard at any age....One of our major advances has been operating very early, getting that burned tissue off and getting that patient better faster."
• Doctors said the rule of thumb is that a patient will likely stay one day for every percent of skin he or she lost. "If they burn 50 percent of their body, they'll stay with us for 50 days," Wibbenmeyer said.
• Doctors said the biggest group of burn patients is people who use gasoline as an accelerant when they shouldn't, particularly on grass fires, campfires or trash.
• In addition to burn injuries, staff at the Burn Treatment Center also treat skin trauma caused by frostbite, chemical accidnts or accidents where skin has been torn off.

View the KCCI video report

UI Burn Treatment Center