Anest. intenziv. Med. 2026;37(1):22-27 | DOI: 10.36290/aim.2025.055

Inhalation injuryReview Article

Diabelko D.1, 2, Horniaková B.3, Lipový B.4, Štourač P.1, 2
1 Klinika dětské anesteziologie a resuscitace, Fakultní nemocnice Brno a Lékařská fakulta Masarykovy univerzity, Brno
2 Ústav simulační medicíny, Lékařská fakulta Masarykovy univerzity, Brno
3 Lékařská fakulta Masarykovy univerzity, Brno
4 Klinika popáleninové medicíny, 3. lékařská fakulta Univerzity Karlovy a Fakultní nemocnice Královské Vinohrady, Praha

Inhalation injury is a common and potentially life-threatening complication in burn patients, significantly increasing the mortality of these patients. It is a result of smoke inhalation, toxic combustion products, hot gases or chemicals. It can affect multiple anatomical levels of the respiratory tract, while toxic substances may also cause systemic effects. Diagnosis is challen­ging due to nonspecific symptoms and a lack of diagnostic criteria, with bronchoscopy remaining the gold standard. This article reviews current knowledge on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic strategies, and treatment options for inhalation injury in both adult and pediatric patients.

Keywords: inhalation injury, intensive care unit, bronchoscopy, airway injury, carbon monoxide, cyanide.

Received: September 15, 2025; Revised: November 10, 2025; Accepted: November 26, 2025; Prepublished online: March 9, 2026; Published: April 9, 2026  Show citation

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Diabelko D, Horniaková B, Lipový B, Štourač P. Inhalation injury. Anest. intenziv. Med. 2026;37(1):22-27. doi: 10.36290/aim.2025.055.
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