Presentation of burn injuries and their management outcome.

OBJECTIVE To study the causes of burns and presentation of burn patients to POF Hospital and their overall management outcome. METHODS A cross sectional study of 111 burn patients presenting primarily to and admitted in Pakistan Ordinance Factory (POF) Hospital from December 2004 to August 2005 were included in the study. Patients of any age, any degree of burns and both sexes were included. Patients presenting after more than one week post burn or patients referred from other hospitals were excluded. A detailed history and examination was done before treatment was started. For statistical analysis, patients were divided into different age groups. The place of acquiring burns, the causes and mechanisms of burns and overall management outcome was studied and results expressed as means and percentages. RESULTS Mean age of patients was 18.96 years, 37.8% of the patients were children less than 10 years of age (Group 1), 39.6% were males more than 10 years of age (Group II), and 22.5% were females more than 10 years of age (Group III). Overall, 55% of the patients were males and 45% were females. Mean total body surface area (TBSA) burnt was 11-20%. In group-I patients, the place of burns was their home. The burns occurred at home in 31.8% of Group II patients, and 96% of Group III patients. The place of burns was workplace in 61.3% of Group II patients, and only 4% of Group III patients. The mechanism of burn was scalding in 73.8% of Group I, flame burns in 40.9% of Group II patients and 72% of Group III patients. 25% of Group II patients got electrical burn. The overall mortality was 29.7%. CONCLUSION The cause of burns was scalding at home in the majority of children less than ten years of age (Group I). Similarly the majority of group-II patients got burns at workplace in the form of either flame burns or electric burns. Many of the females more than ten years of age (Group III) got flame burns at home (suicidal, homicidal or accidental).