Dermatologists and the burn center

Severe cutaneous disease and injury often is best treated in the specialize d treatment environment of a burn center Skilled burn treatment personnel c ombine critical care expertise with extensive clinical experience in the ma nagement of severe cutaneous injury and disease. In addition to thermal inj ury, the burn center is the ideal environment for patients with progressive toxic epidermal necrolysis, pemphigoid lesions, and invasive cutaneous inf ection. Recent research indicates that the burn wound is a dynamic structur e whose ultimate extent is modifiable by manipulations of the local anatomi c and molecular environment. The many unanswered questions on the pathogene sis and treatment of both the "medical" and "surgical" cutaneous processes require close collaboration between the dermatologist and the burn team.