Progress in burn treatment and the use of artificial skin.

Recently improved survival from thermal injuries has been demonstrated both in children and adults. This increase in burn injury survival rates is the result of multiple changes in treatment; probably the most important changes are, first, a more aggressive management of the wound with prompt excision of devitalized tissues and immediate closure of the wound, and, second, a better understanding and management of metabolic, immunologic, and nutritional aspects of the injured patient. Artificial skin is a very important additional treatment modality that has more recently become available and promises to contribute significantly to improvements in wound management and survival rates by its ability to physiologically close a burn wound immediately after its excision.