Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Dysfunction Following Severe Burns A Summary of Recent 30-Year Clinical Experience

The authors reviewed data on gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction in 219 burn patients from 1980-2007 categorized in 1 of 3 cohorts based on treatment protocols at the time. In looking at how protocols changed over time, they found that mortality and GI dysfunction were decreased by fluid resuscitation; early excision of necrotic tissue; staged food ingestion; and administration of specific nutrients.