Pattern of Burn Injuries at King Fahad Hospital, Al-Baha: A Study of 277 Cases

Burn injuries, a unique form of trauma which is sometimes avoidable,1 are categorized among the most severe injuries an individual can experience. 2,3 Burns represent a major health problem worldwide, with high mortality and morbidity,4-7 and economic loss, even with small burns.1,8 Causes, types and incidence of burns vary from one community to another and are influenced by age, sex, economic status, local customs and social and environmental circumstances. 8-13 Numerous papers discussing the various aspects of burn injuries are being published worldwide, but few works have been done in Saudi Arabia.14,15 The treatment of burn patients in a specialized facility is of inestimable worth. 3 Facilities of burn management in Saudi Arabia are distributed all over the Kingdom, with 17 burn units. 16 In Al-Baha, a rural area located in South Western Saudi Arabia, no specialized facility for burn care is available. Most burn injuries are managed in King Fahad Hospital (KFH), the only referral hospital in the region. Burn cases are admitted to the surgical wards under the care of the Plastic Surgery Unit, staffed by one consultant and one specialist. The policy of admission is to admit all referred burn cases unless they are minor (superficial and less than 10% of total body surface area [TBSA]) and can be managed as an outpatient. Surgical procedures, i.e., excision and skin grafting, are usually carried out at the end of two operating lists per week. The aim of this paper is to focus on the pattern of burn injuries at KFH and to describe the general figures of morbidity and mortality.