ABSTRACT
Skin is a vital organ, in the sense that loss of a substantial fraction of its mass immediately threatens the life of the individual. Such loss can result suddenly, either from fire or from a mechanical accident. Loss of skin can also occur in a chronic manner, as in skin ulcers. Irrespective of the time scale over which skin loss is incurred, the resulting deficit is considered life threatening primarily for two reasons: Skin is a barrier to loss of water and electrolytes from the body, and it is a barrier to infection from airborne organisms. A substantial deficit in the integrity of skin leaves the individual unprotected either from shock, the result of excessive loss of water and electrolytes, or from sepsis, the result of a massive systemic infection. It has been reported that burns alone account for 2,150,000 procedures every year in the United States. Of these, 150,000 refer to individuals who are hospitalized, and as many as 10,000 die.
