Is there still a place for comfort care in severe burns

Successive improvements in burn care have steadily increased the survivability of many major burn injuries, however for some patients with the most severe injuries comfort care rather than active resuscitation has been seen as the correct course of action. A survey of UK burn unit directors by postal questionnaire sought details of current practice regarding comfort care, the factors involved in the decision making process and their response to eight hypothetical case histories. An 84% response to the survey showed that units would, on average, actively resuscitate thirty-seven patients a year and administer comfort care three times per year. Opinion was often divided regarding the decision to resuscitate in the cases presented.