Little People, Big Data: Eleven-Year Review of 4419 Pediatric Burn Injuries from a Single Center

Abstract Introduction Despite public health efforts, the incidence and patterns of pediatric burn injuries have remained consistent over the years. Pediatric burn care continues to be delivered across both high- and low-volume centers. This eleven-year review provides a large-volume, single-center analysis with an updated look at current demographics, etiology, acute wound care, and surgical management. Data from high-volume centers are critical to guide discussions on how best to provide specialized, expert-level care to pediatric burn patients. This study examined the demographics, burn characteristics, inpatient course, management strategies, and outcomes in a cohort from one of the nation’s highest-volume pediatric burn centers. Methods A retrospective review was conducted on 4419 pediatric patients admitted to and treated at a single ABA-verified pediatric burn center between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2024. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze patient demographics, injury characteristics, management, and outcomes. Results The majority of patients were English-speaking, Caucasian male toddlers aged 1–3 years. Scald burns accounted for 57.5% of cases, most commonly 10% TBSA (91%), with an average TBSA of 3.96%. The mean patient age was 5.08 years. Medicaid was the most common primary insurance (66.1%). ICU admission was required in 315 patients (7.1%), with an average ICU stay of 7.7 days. Inhalation injuries occurred in 22 patients (0.5%), half of whom also had cutaneous burns. Mortality over the study period was 3 patients (0.07%). Nearly half of patients underwent an operation (48.2%), but only 4.0% required more than one procedure. Of those taken to the operating room, 1.9% required autografting, while 6.7% underwent autologous skin cell suspension. Most patients attended at least one follow-up visit (80.9%), resulting in 23 218 pediatric clinic visits during the study period. Conclusions This study represents one of the largest single-center pediatric burn datasets with an average of 400 admissions/year. High-volume pediatric burn centers remain rare in the U.S., with most centers treating fewer than 200 pediatric patients per year. Large-scale data such as this provide valuable insights into evolving demographics, management strategies, and outcomes. Applicability of Research to Practice Identifying contemporary trends in pediatric burn care is essential for guiding national discussions on best practices and optimizing the organization of care delivery for this population. Funding for the study N/A.