[Current aspects of burn treatment]

Abstract

Burn treatment is a complex therapeutic regimen, enclosing immediate resuscitation, burn would care and the complete spectrum of surgical intensive care as well as plastic surgical reconstruction. The pathophysiology of a severe burn injury resembles a maximal trauma response by activating a wide variety of mediators, resulting in a generalized tissue edema (capillary leak). Most important are sufficient fluid resuscitation and primary care, correct referral to a burn center, early enteral feeding and a consequent operative tactic with early removal of necrotic tissue and stable wound coverage. Sepsis is still the major mortality factor (75%). Besides established methods like skin culturing, future efforts are directed towards the generation of composite skin grafts and an immunological approach to influence or prevent the course of a burn sepsis.