The UC San Diego Burn Center is the only one in the region to be verified by both the American College of Surgeons and the American Burn Association as both a pediatric and adult level one burn center. All residents of San Diego and Imperial Counties who have experienced either burns or critical soft tissue injuries are treated at UC San Diego's Hillcrest facility and many of them may require multiple complex anesthetics during the course of their treatment and recovery. The Division of Anesthesia for Thermal and Electrical Injury was formed to ensure consistently safe and effective anesthesia for these often critically ill and complex patients.
The team covers 300–400 anesthetics each year in adults, infants and children and conducts clinical research on topics related to burn anesthesia and pain. Every member of the team is also extensively involved in resident education, so the Division's commitment to excellence in outcomes may continue.
The Burn Center at Hillcrest has the unique advantage of having 24-hour pediatric anesthesia and pediatric critical care coverage. The vast majority of the painful procedures that are necessary for recovery from burn injuries are performed while the child is safe and sedated in our one-of-a-kind procedure room. Subsequent care by the Burn Surgery team is also performed in coordination with our Pediatric Critical Care physicians.