An Overview of Recent Developments in the Management of Burn Injuries

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 15;24(22):16357. doi: 10.3390/ijms242216357.

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 11 million people suffer from burns every year, and 180,000 die from them. A burn is a condition in which heat, chemical substances, an electrical current or other factors cause tissue damage. Burns mainly affect the skin, but can also affect deeper tissues such as bones or muscles. When burned, the skin loses its main functions, such as protection from the external environment, pathogens, evaporation and heat loss. Depending on the stage of the burn, the patient's condition and the cause of the burn, we need to choose the most appropriate treatment. Personalization and multidisciplinary collaboration are key to the successful management of burn patients. In this comprehensive review, we have collected and discussed the available treatment options, focusing on recent advances in topical treatments, wound cleansing, dressings, skin grafting, nutrition, pain and scar tissue management.

Keywords: burn care; burn injuries; dressing; regenerative medicine; skin grafts; skin tissue engineering.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bandages
  • Burns* / surgery
  • Humans
  • Skin
  • Skin Transplantation
  • Wound Healing*

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.