Burn Patients at Western Regional Hospital of Nepal: An Epidemiological Study

Abstract

Background: Burn injury is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in our country. Study of epidemiological characteristics of burn injury helps in planning of the prevention and upgradation of its treatment facility.

Material and Methods: This is a hospital based retrospective epidemiological study of the burn patients admitted in our center from September 2018 to April 2019.

Results: In total 52 patients were included in this study. There was a slight preponderance of female patients over male patients. Mean age of the patients was 34.77± 29.16 years. Eighty percentage of burn injury occurred inside house. Majority of burn cases were scald burn followed by flame burn. Percentage total body surface area involved in burn had a mean of 14.183 ± 8.224. Lower extremity was the most commonly involved area. Total duration of hospital stay was 18.21 ± 13.656 days. Out of total patients only four patients needed admission in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Regarding outcome, 88.5% patients survived while 9.6% patients died and 1.9% patient went on discharge on request.

Conclusion: Burn injury is a preventable condition with high rate of morbidity and mortality. Burn patients have prolonged hospital stay as recovery is slow. Awareness programs for prevention of burn injury are needed to decrease the incidence of the burn injury.