An extensive burn wound is among the most severe trauma a patient can be exposed to, it has well defined local and systemic effects; however, these effects are little understood by most of the health care personal. This injury can compromise directly or indirectly every system in the body. The objective of this article is to offer a simple and systematic review that allows the reader a better understanding of the response of the human body after an extensive burn injury, it is expected that this paper contributes to the better understanding of the physiology of this type of trauma and therefore be expressed in the daily work of the health care personal. Salud UIS 2010; 42: 55-65.