An escharotomy is indicated for burns when the six 'P's are present. Which of the following is not one of the six 'P's?

An escharotomy is indicated for burns when the six 'P's are present. Which of the following is not one of the six 'P's?

• A. Pain
• B. Palpable pulse
• C. Pallor
• D. Pressure

Answer: (B)

Rising tissue pressure from a burn eschar can compress vessels and nerves, so clinicians watch for signs of compartment syndrome. Those signs are the six P’s: Pain (often out of proportion to exam), Pallor, Paresthesias, Pulselessness, Paralysis, and a sense of increased Pressure. A palpable pulse is not one of these indicators; a pulse can still be present even when perfusion is compromised, so it doesn’t signal the problem the six P’s describe. Therefore, the option describing a palpable pulse is not one of the six P’s.

Rising tissue pressure from a burn eschar can compress vessels and nerves, so clinicians watch for signs of compartment syndrome. Those signs are the six P’s: Pain (often out of proportion to exam), Pallor, Paresthesias, Pulselessness, Paralysis, and a sense of increased Pressure. A palpable pulse is not one of these indicators; a pulse can still be present even when perfusion is compromised, so it doesn’t signal the problem the six P’s describe. Therefore, the option describing a palpable pulse is not one of the six P’s.