Published in:
01-04-2017 | Original Paper
Epidemiology of pediatric burn injuries in Kosovo
Published in: European Journal of Plastic Surgery | Issue 2/2017
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Background
Burns are the third most common cause of mortality in children and adolescents. Many burns that occur in the first two decades of life are accidental and preventable. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of burn-related injuries in children up to 15 years old in Kosovo.
Methods
This was a retrospective study that included 628 patients with burns, younger than 15 years old who were admitted to the Clinic of Plastic Surgery, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2015. The patients were categorized into three age groups: 0–3, 4–7, and 8–15 years old. Data on the gender, age, cause, burn size and depth, duration of hospitalization, and treatment were collected and analyzed.
Results
During the study period, in our population, burns in children were predominantly in boys with 374 cases (59.6 %), while 254 patients were girls (40.4 %). Scalding was the most common type of burn with 566 cases or 90.2%.The median TBSA burned was 18.8% with a range of 1–70%. Duration of treatment ranged from 0 to 81 days. The mean hospitalization was 32.2 days.
Conclusions
A high rate of childhood burns in Kosovo requires hospital admissions and prolonged hospital stays. To reduce pediatric burns in Kosovo, a burn-prevention strategy and program should be developed.
Level of Evidence: Level IV, risk / prognostic study