Current trends in burn research. Part II

Research related to thermal injury, both clinical and laboratory, has been exceedingly active in the past several years. Attempts have been and are being made to arrive at a more thorough understanding of the pathophysiological changes pursuant to burns, with the concomitant development of more physiological means of altering these deleterious effects. Problems related to skin grafting have been similarly scrutinized; a greater interest has been displayed in the physiology and biochemistry of the skin, and early steps have been taken to develop a satisfactory skin substitute. The most significant result of research in burns in recent years has unequivocally been the development of means of controlling burn-wound sepsis, thereby preventing bacterial invasion, and significantly improving survival in the burned patient.