During the period of 5 years from January, 1979 to December, 1983, 328 cases of burn patients were treated at this surgical department of Seoul Adventist Hospital.
Those 328 cases were reviewed and summerized as follows:
1) The highest incidence of age group was under 10 years old: 146 cases (44.5%). Male was affected more frequently than female, the incidence being 178 cases (54.3%) and 150 cases (45.7%). The ratio of male to female was 1.2: 1.
2) The burn patients have been increased year after year.
3) Seasonal distribution: The highest incidence was noted in Spring, 98 cases (29.9%) and the least in Autumn, 67 cases(20.4%).
4) The most common cause of burn was scalding: 206 cases(62.8%).
5) Over half of the burn patients(57%) were within 10~30% in extent.
6) The most frequent period of interval between accident and arrival to hospital was within 24 hours (87.5%). The most frequent duration of hospitalization was within 10 days: 169 cases(51.7%).
7) The laboratory datas at the time of admission:
(1) The most frequent hematocrit level was 41~45%: 107 cases(32.6%)
(2) The most frequent hemoglobin concentration was 12.0~13.9 gm/dl: 105 cases (32.0%)
(3) Almost all cases of burned patients were within normal limits of electrolytes. But, 6 cases showed hyperkalemia.
(4) The 85% of the patients showed their urine specific gravity between 1.004 and 1.034, 10.4% above 1.035, 4.6% below 1.004.
8) The survival groups showed thrombocytopenia until 6 days after burn, the death groups until 8 days.
9) Of 48 cases which were treated with silver sulfadiazine, 2 cases (4.2%) showed leukopenia.
10) The autograft was performed in 64 cases and the most frequent period of grafting was within 3 weeks(48.4%).
11) The complications of burns were wound infection (33.8%), sepsis (7.3%) pulmonary complication(6.1%), and Curling´s ulcer (4.0%), etc, in order.
12) Among 328 cases of burn patients, 105 cases(32%) showed wound infection. The most frequent organisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa(42.1%), Staphylococcus aureus(12.3%) and Staphylococcus albus(9.6%), etc, in order.
13) The overall mortality was 8.8%.
14) The most frequent causes of death were sepsis(34.5%), burn shock(24.1%), and pulmonary complication (17.2%), etc, in order.
15) The mortality rate was increased with the severity of burn and with advancing age.
|