Factors affecting length of stay among pediatric and adult patients admitted to the Lebanese Burn Centre: a retrospective study.

Burn injuries are serious lesions requiring specialized medical care, and are associated with prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS). This study aims to elucidate the epidemiological and clinical factors affecting the LOS of pediatric and adult patients with burn wounds. A single-centre retrospective study was conducted at the Hopital Libanais Geitawi Burn Centre in Lebanon. Medical records of patients admitted to the centre between January 2014 and December 2018 were retrieved. Epidemiological and clinical data, such as age, gender, LOS, co-morbidities, and clinical burn and operative characteristics were collected and subjected to statistical analysis. A total of 321 adult and 154 pediatric patients met the inclusion criteria. Mean LOS in the total population was 23.58 days. Univariate analysis revealed inconsistent correlations between the studied factors and the LOS of pediatric and adult patients. Factors positively affecting both populations were: undergoing an operation, number of operations, burn degree, infection, blood transfusion, and need for burn excision and grafting. Additionally, among pediatric patients LOS significantly increased with age, total body surface area (TBSA) burn wound, cause of burn, sepsis, wound dressing under anaesthesia, and escharotomy. On the other hand, female gender and fever were significant additional positive influencers of adult LOS. Multivariate analysis showed that both pediatric and adult LOS was significantly associated to number of operations, need for burn excision and skin grafting, and receiving a blood transfusion. Adult LOS was further affected by mechanical ventilation, infection and age. Our study demonstrated the differential influence of epidemiological and clinical factors among adult and pediatric populations, which allows better prediction of LOS and management of patients with burn injuries.

Les brûlures sont des pathologies sévères nécessitant une prise en charge spécialisée avec des durées de séjour élevées. Cette étude a pour but de préciser les facteurs épidémiologiques et cliniques influençant la durée de séjour, chez les adultes (321) et les enfants (154) brûlés. Elle a été réalisée dans le CTB de l'hôpital libanais Geitawi, en utilisant les dossiers des patients hospitalisés entre janvier 2014 et décembre 2018. Nous avons colligé et comparé le sexe, l'âge, la durée moyenne de séjour (DMS), les comorbidités, les données cliniques concernant la brûlure y compris la nécessité de chirurgie. La DMS était de 23,58 j. L'analyse univariée a retrouvé des paramètres influençant la DMS différents chez les enfants et les adultes. La DMS augmentait, dans les 2 populations, avec la nécessité de chirurgie (excision/greffe) et le nombre d'interventions, la profondeur de la brûlure, la survenue d'infection, la transfusion. Chez les enfants, on trouvait en plus l'augmentation de l'âge, la surface brûlée, certaines causes de brûlure, les incisions de décharge et les pansements sous AG. Chez l'adulte, la DMS augmentait chez les femmes et les patients fébriles. En analyse multivariée, le nombre d'interventions (excisions et greffes) et la transfusion restaient corrélés à l'augmentation de DMS. Chez l'adulte, l'infection, la ventilation mécanique et l'âge étaient 3 autres paramètres significatifs. Cette étude montre qu'il existe des paramètres différents corrélés à l'augmentation de DMS dans les populations brûlées d'adultes et d'enfants, ce qui permet une évaluation plus fine de la charge de soins et de la DMS à l'admission d'un brûlé.

Epidemiology of major burns at the Lebanese Burn Center in Geitawi, Lebanon.

Burn care is one of the few areas in medicine considered both medically and surgically challenging, with burn injuries affecting people of all ages and both sexes. Between May 1992 and March 2012, 1,524 patients were admitted to the Lebanese Burn Center in Geitawi, with an average length of stay (LOS) of 36.5 days. The most frequently encountered injuries were thermal burns, generally resulting from domestic accidents. Of our patients, 47% were from rural areas and burned body surface (BBS) was the most serious factor, with 36% of all those admitted having suffered burns of 20% to 40% of their total body surface area (TBSA). Our team of experienced physicians, nurses, nutritionists and physical therapists was essential to successful burn care and outcomes were improved with adequate early fluid intake. The main causes of death were multiple organ failure due to hemodynamic instability, followed by respiratory failure from inhalation injury. A week after the injury, risk of infection was the main threat to the burn victims. Although this threat was compounded by malnutrition and immunodeficiency, excessive use of antibiotics was not justified. The fatality rate was about 18% and correlates with higher TBSA burns.

Le traitement des brûlés est l'un des rares domaines de la médecine qui sont à la fois médicalement et chirurgicalement difficiles. En plus, les brûlures affectent les personnes de tous âges et des deux sexes. Entre mai 1992 et mars 2012, 1.524 patients ont été admis au Centre des Brûlés libanais à Geitawi. La durée moyenne de séjour (DMS) était de 36,5 jours. Les blessures les plus fréquemment rencontrées sont des brûlures thermiques, et la plupart des brûlures étaient dues à des accidents domestiques. De nos patients, 47% viennent de zones rurales. La surface corporelle brûlée (SCB) était le facteur le plus grave: 36% des patients avaient des brûlures sur 20% à 40% de la surface corporelle totale (TBSA). Notre équipe de médecins expérimentés, d'infirmières, de nutritionnistes, et de physiothérapeutes a été essentiel au succès du traitement des brûlures. En plus, les résultats sont améliorés avec l'apport hydrique précoce et adequat. L'instabilité hémodynamique était la cause principale de décès en provoquant la défaillance multiviscérale. La seconde cause de décès était l'insuffisance respiratoire due à l'inhalation. Après le septième jour, le risque d'infection était la menace principale pour la victime de brûlures, et ce risque est aggravé par la malnutrition et l'immunodéficience. Tout le même, cela ne justifie pas l'utilisation excessive des antibiotiques. Le taux de létalité était d'environ 18% en corrélation avec TBSA.

Tissue expansion for burn sequelae: Jeitawe Burn Center, Lebanon.

Burn sequelae used to be treated with skin grafts and local or distant flaps with a high morbidity on the donor site. The purpose of treatment today by skin expansion is to achieve aesthetic amelioration, as the advantage of this technique is that it becomes possible to obtain local flaps with the same characteristics of colour, texture, hair, and sensitivity as normal skin. This is a review of 14 cases of burn patients treated between 2006 and 2010 at our burn centre at Jeitawe Hospital, Lebanon. The patients' ages ranged from 6 to 50 yr. The regions expanded were the scalp, forehead, neck, trunk, and the upper and lower limbs. The implants were positioned on the fascial layer; antibiotics and drainage were routinely used. The inflation of the expander began two weeks after surgery and continued for an average time of three months. Complications were rare. Results were good with an improvement of scars and minimal morbidity. Fifty per cent of our patients underwent another expansion.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome--management and case report.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome [known also as Lyell's syndrome] is a severe drug reaction, characterized by fever. systemic toxicity, extensive skin rash with blisters and exfoliation similar to that of major burns. It carries an average mortality rate of 25%. The data concerning most frequent triggering agents and the differential diagnosis is presented; An overview of the management protocol for these patient in the Burn Center of the Lebanese Hospital is exposed with a case presentation of a young woman who sustained a 95% body surface area [BSA] cutaneous loss after the ingestion of only 2 tablets of amoxycilline documented by the complication and evolution.