Monitoring of the burn patient

Technologic advances have made routine use of some form of monitoring mandatory in modern burn care. Nevertheless, not all patients require all forms of monitoring. Patients with minimal burns require only minimal monitoring (vital signs, 24-hour urine output, biochemical and hematologic profile). Larger burns, associated injuries, or underlying disease necessitate more aggressive monitoring and may justify invasive monitoring with its attendant risks of infection. Very large burns, severe cardiac dysfunction, and inhalation injury mandate vigorous invasive monitoring including pulmonary artery catheters.