What is a common complication associated with large body surface area burns?

A common complication associated with large body surface area burns is volume shock and hypothermia. When a significant portion of the skin is burned, it compromises the body's ability to maintain fluid balance due to loss of protective skin barriers. This leads to fluid loss and potential hypovolemic shock, where the body's blood volume decreases to a dangerous level, impairing circulation and organ function.

Additionally, large burns can severely affect thermoregulation. The skin plays a crucial role in maintaining body temperature, so extensive burns can lead to hypothermia as the body loses heat more rapidly without the insulating properties of intact skin. This underscores the importance of immediate monitoring and management of these complications in burn victims.

While infection and fever are indeed concerns in burn cases due to the risk of compromised skin integrity, they often emerge as secondary complications rather than immediate complications associated with the initial injury. Thus, volume shock and hypothermia are more pressing threats following extensive burns.