Prof. Abeer Abdel Wahab Sharaf Eldin :: Publications:

Background: Burn injury has been observed as a worldwide problem, particularly in the developing countries. Severe burns can be lethal; in addition, survivors often suffer from disfiguring and disabling scar, psychological trauma, and loss of productive years. Objectives: This study was carried out to analyze the epidemiological pattern, burn character, etiological factors and mortality of burn in patients who admitted to Benha Educational Hospital, Egypt Methodology: A prospective study carried out to all burn patients admitted to the Burn Unit, Department of Plastic Surgery; Benha Educational Hospital, Egypt, during the period starting from the 1st of September 2009 to the end of October 2010. The data collected for each case were age, sex, residence, place of accident, seasonal variation, cause, extent of burn, body sites affected, circumstances and outcome. Results: A total of 203 patients were admitted. Overall, (56.2%) of patients were females and (43.8%) were males with female to male ratio 1.3:1. The mean age of patients was 21.1 years; burn had the highest incidence among children less than 5 years (29.1%). Most burn injuries occurred in winter (32.0%), predominantly accidental (96.6 %) at home (78.8 %). Rural patients (67.9%) outnumbered urban patients (32.1%). The most frequent cause of burn in the study population was direct flame (60.6 %) followed by scald (34.4%). Upper limb was the most frequently site affected (72.9%). The mean TBSA of burn was (22.6%) and ranged between 3-95%. Mortality rate was (5.4%) with a prevalence of death among females (63.6%). Conclusion: The majority of burn accidents occurred at home and was preventable. Dry flame was the most common cause of burn. Children less than five years were the most vulnerable age victims and female dominated in number of victim. The results of this study clearly highlighted the specific epidemiological features of burned patients in our area, and thus should provide the necessary information to develop proper burn prevention programs, thereby reducing the frequency of burns and burn-related deaths.