Analysis of 2759 Pediatric Burn Patients: 2000-2004

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Pediatric burn still generates social problem leading to physical and mental sequelae for ages. We studied to help make a program for the prevention of pediatric burn. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectically 2759 acute burn patients under the age of 15 years in recent 5years (January 2000 - December 2004). RESULTS: 1553 males and 1226 females were investigated, with a male to female ratio of 1.25:1. The greatest number of burn patients were those with an age of 1-2 years(1435, 52%). Scalding burn was the most common cause of injury, which accounted for 1980 (71.8%) patients, followed by contact burns(286, 10.4%), flame burn(229, 8.3%), steam burn(141, 5.1%). Especially steam burn was the second cause of injury in the age under 1 year, while flame burn was the same in the age over 3 years. During recent 5 years, incidence of contact burn increased over twofold despite the others did not changed substantially. Variation of seasonal incidence is minimal and most of the patients(2545 cases, 92.2%) had burns of < = or 20% TBSA. The median hospital stay was 18.3 days, and the rate of operation was 35.4% with an high rate in electrical burn(70.6%), steam burn(68.8%), contact burn(65%). 27 patients died in this series, which yielded a mortality rate of 1%. CONCLUSION: We expect that these data will be used as a basis for prevention of pediatric burn.