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 serum biochemistry was normal, except for a low serum albumin. Mean energy intake for the first 3 weeks was half his non-burned requirement and mean protein intake was close to his non-burned requirement. This is the first report to show that a reduction in nutritional requirements may be observed using skin substitutes.