Gastric ileus is a potential complication of severe burn injury and the stomach should be decompressed with the insertion of a nasogastric tube. The patient should also be kept nil orally.
KEY STEPS:
- Insert nasogastric/ nasojejunal tube for larger burns (>20% TBSA in adults; >15% TBSA in children).
- Check tube position, aspirate and leave on free drainage
- Keep the patient nil orally