Care of the Critically Injured Burn Patient

Care of the critically injured burn patient presents unique challenges to the intensivist. Certified burn centers are rare and geographically sparse, necessitating that much of the initial management of patients with severe burn injuries must happen in the pre-burn center setting. Severe burn injuries often lead to a wide range of complications that extend beyond the loss of skin integrity and require specialized care. As such, medical intensivists are often called on to stabilize these critically injured patients. This focused review outlines the clinical care of these medically complex patients, including airway management, postburn complications, volume resuscitation, nutrition, and end-of-life care.