Hautersatz in der Verbrennungschirurgie

Abstract

The key to a successful treatment of burn injuries is rapid wound closure. Numerous methods and materials are nowadays available in burns surgery for the treatment and replacement of burnt skin. However, in spite of all these innovations, autologous split skin transplantations are still considered to be the gold standard in therapy. A common feature of all the mentioned methods is their inability to completely take over all functions of skin. This concerns somatovisceral sensitivity, fluid and thermal regulation, the absence of accessory skin structures as well as the elastic properties of skin. A major challenge and at the same time objective of current research is to be able to provide a fully compatible and universally applicable skin substitute in future.