Impact of injury mechanism on the length of hospital stay in paediatric burns

Abstract

In the early phase in paediatric burns, one can only give a rough estimate regarding the length of treatment. Therefore, we analysed the relationship between the burn injury mechanism and the length of stay (LOS) to total body surface area aff ected (TBSA) ratio. We performed a retrospective review of 375 patients who had been hospitalised for burn injuries in the period from January 1, 2010 until December 31, 2019 at the Department of Paediatric Surgery, Zagreb Children’s Hospital. According to the mechanism of burn injury, patients were divided into the following groups: hot water scalds (n=210), hot oil scalds (n=22), bath scalds (n=7), contact burns (n=54), fl ame burns (n=36), steam burns (n=7), explosive (n=13) and electrical burns (n=12). We analysed the mean LOS/TBSA ratio according to diff erent patient groups. Study results revealed that contact burns had a signifi cantly greater risk of higher LOS/TBSA ratio than hot oil scalds (t=2.485, p=0.015), hot water scalds (t=3.948, p<0.001), fl ame burns (t=2.485, p=0.015), explosive burns (t=2.900, p=0.005), bath scalds (t=4.369, p<0.001) and steam burns (t=4.369, p<0.001). Flame burns had a signifi cantly greater risk of higher LOS/TBSA ratio than hot water scalds (t=2.105, p=0.039), steam burns (t=2.848, p=0.009) and bath scalds (t=2.846, p=0.009). Hot oil scalds had a signifi cantly greater risk of higher LOS/TBSA ratio than steam burns (t=2.317, p=0.029) and bath scalds (t=2.263, p=0.033). Accordingly, diff erent mechanisms of burn injury were found to have diff erent outcomes when considering the LOS/TBSA ratio. The highest LOS/TBSA ratio may be expected for contact burns. Our results indicated the burn injury mechanism to have a prognostic value regarding LOS. Key words: BURNS; CHILD; LENGTH OF STAY LOS