[Fluid management and care for multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in patients with extensive burns]

Burn shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) are the main causes of death in patients with extensive burns, and thus fluid management and care for MODS are crucial in the treatment of these patients. Several fluid formulas have been developed, although there is still controversy over the best formula. The important point is to understand how to deal with the different side effects inevitable with each fluid therapy: fluid restriction and/or diuretic administration in the refilling phase in fluid therapy with crystalloid, care for hypernatremia and/or a hyperosmolar state in fluid therapy with hypertonic lactated solution (HLS), etc. Precise fluid management is needed for aged patients, patients with extensive inhalation injury, extensive electric injury, and myocardial dysfunction, or patients in whom the start of fluid treatment was delayed. MODS in extensively burned patients is attributed to overwhelming burn stress and complicated sepsis, including bacterial translocation (BT). A dysfunctioning organ impairs another organ (organ interrelationships), and therefore substitution and/or recovery of a dysfunctioning organ are crucial. Debridement of skin with third-degree burns, suppression of BT, sanitary airway management, avoidance of unnecessary stress, and mediator modulation to stop the mediator cascade inducing MODS are also crucial.