ABSTRACT
The skin provides a protective barrier against physical, chemical and microbial agents. Once breached by temperatures of >40°C, the resulting burn may cause harm to deeper structures and systemic injury. In England and Wales, 10000 burns patients are admitted to hospital each year. Of the 500 who die, the vast majority die from smoke inhalation, the rest from burn-wound associated sepsis or pneumonia. Ten percent of the patients admitted to hospital require formal fluid resuscitation and burn excision and grafting.
