[Not Available].

Nutrition is a challenge for burn patients. Emphasized points are early enteral amounts by means of a naso-gastric tube, semi-recumbent position > 30°, gastro-intestinal survey improved by kinetics, weight evolution, nutritional amounts assessment to prevent proteino-energetic deficiency. Feeding is difficult with children, as with seniors often associating a preexisting starvation.

Perineal burn care: French working group recommendations.

Objectives: Burns to the perineum are frequently exposed to faeces. Diverting colostomy is often described to prevent faecal soiling. Because this technique is invasive with frequent complications, use of non-surgical devices including specifically designed faecal management systems has been reported in perineal burns.

Antibiotics and the burn patient.

Infection is a major problem in burn care and especially when it is due to bacteria with hospital-acquired multi-resistance to antibiotics. Moreover, when these bacteria are Gram-negative organisms, the most effective molecules are 20 years old and there is little hope of any new product available even in the distant future. Therefore, it is obvious that currently available antibiotics should not be misused.

Epidemiology of elderly patients' burns in the South West of France.

A retrospective study of 716 patients aged 60 years and above (324 men, 392 women) was undertaken in order to determine quality control in burns management in the South West of France. The following epidemiological data was obtained: high hospitalization rate (7 per cent of the general admissions); monthly and seasonal periodicity; predominance of indoor accidents (86 per cent) with domestic accidents being more frequent in women (63 vs. 37 per cent).

Herpes simplex virus infection in burned patients: epidemiology of 11 cases.

Burned patients suffer significant immunosuppression during the first 3 or 4 weeks after hospitalization. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections are commonly seen in immunosuppressed patients and may account for considerable morbidity and some mortality. We studied retrospectively 11 patients with severe burn injury who became infected with HSV.

Assessment of vitamin and trace element supplementation in severely burned patients undergoing long-term parenteral and enteral nutrition.

The efficacy of an oral supplement of vitamins and trace elements during a longterm artificial parenteral and enteral nutrition was investigated for 3 months in patients with extensive burns. Thirty severely burned patients (22 male, 8 female, age 41 +/- 18 years, range 23-59 years, 33 +/- 12% total body surface area burn, 22% +/- 8 full thickness burn surface area) were included. Every 10 days, from day 10 until day 90, we determined serum levels of: *vitamins B1, B12, A, E, *folic acid, *copper, zinc, iron, *transferrin, albumin, prealbumin, total proteins, *fibronectin, retinol binding protein (RBP), *calcium, *phosphorus, *triglycerides, *total cholesterol, *C reactive protein (CRP), *erythrocyte folic acid.

[Influence of chlorhexidine on the flora of burns].

The effect of chlorhexidine baths on surface and in-depth colonization of burns was studied in 12 severely burned patients. 202 swabs and 202 biopsy specimens were cultured. Each patient was sampled before and after a daily chlorhexidine bath on several days.