[Sequelae in patients with severe burns]

Nowadays, the main aim with severe burned patients is the prevention and treatment of the complications associated to burn injuries, because the mortality caused by them has significantly declined due to the improvements in the treatments used. This fact has changed the focus of the care from a biomedical model which pay attention to the physical aspects, to other based on the holistic care of the patient in which physical, psychological and social aspects are considered. To minimize the development of these adverse complications and to prevent their severity in long term, it is essential to initiate an early rehabilitation at hospital and follow these patients by the Primary Care team when they return home. The adverse effects of the burns can invalidate the patient and they can affect several spheres of his life: physical, psychological and social. The goals of this article are to determine the most common complications in severe burns, describe the treatments more effective to combat them and explain the role of nurses in the prevention and rehabilitation of these injured.