Artificial skin reduces nutritional requirements in a severely burned child

An 11 year old boy had 60% BSA burns excised and artificial skin (Integra(R )) applied. None of the burn wound was grafted. At 3 weeks post burn his se rum biochemistry was normal, except for a low serum albumin. Mean energy in take for the first 3 weeks was half his non-burned requirement and mean pro tein intake was close to his non-burned requirement. This is the first repo rt to show that a reduction in nutritional requirements may be observed usi ng skin substitutes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd and ISBI. All rights res erved.