[Potassium levels in the blood in burns]

The authors summarize and describe 18-years' experience in the management of patients with burns and determination of the potassium ion content in blood plasma, urine, erythrocytes, and burn exudate. They established that the abnormal potassium content is most hazardous during shock and toxemia and that the changes must be immediately corrected, otherwise complications occur in the course of the burn disease which may prove irreparable and cause death of the patient. The main principles of blood potassium+ control consisted in preventing loss of potassium through the wound and the kidneys and restoring its level by infusion. Early closure of burn wounds is an important moment in the control of potassium blood level disorders]