[Special questions in connection with the energy supply in extensive burns (author's transl)]

Abstract

There is no other trauma that gives such a high increase in resting metabolic rate as an extensive burn. Treatment in a very warm, dry environment minimizes body heat loss by radiation, convection, and conduction. Covering the burned wounds with homograft or heterograft skin reduces the evaporative loss. Despite these treatments, the burn patients needed at least 3000 kcal (12 MJ) per day to be in energy balance. Carbohydrates, crystalline amino acid solution, Vamin, and Intralipid were infused; 345 patients with burns over 20% have been treated with good results.