Increasing the flexibility of feeding formulas for burned patients: the design of an easy computer program

The calculation and design of the nutritional requirements for burned patients appear to be somewhat complicated and confusing to personnel in charge in burn units. Many mathematical formulas and input data as well as variables in the medical condition of each patient are to be considered. For easy and accurate calculation of these nutritional needs a computer program is designed and described. Input data include patient age, weight, percent of body surface area burned, and any associated medical illness or system failure. Depending on calculations using Curreri formula for total caloric needs and Davis and Liljedahl formula for protein needs, the output data include the total calories needed and their fragmentation into the three major food categories: carbohydrates, fats and proteins. These are further subdivided into three to four meals and the contents of each meal are listed. The menu of the foodstuff described as well as the route of feeding are changed according to the amounts needed and the presence or absence of medical contraindications. This program was used and tested on 40 patients and proved to be easy, accurate, and useful in the burn unit