Citation

Nieminen S, Laaksonen V, Viljanto J, Pakkanen A. Scand. J. Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 1977; 11(1): 63-67.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Almqvist and Wiksell)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

910115

Abstract

In the present investigation the burn injuries in Finland are estimated for a non-selected burns population. Annually 0.4% of the population seek medical care for burn injuries. The incidence of burns cases requiring hospital admission is 35/10(5) inhabitants/year. After initial treatment in the emergency ward, approximately 10% of burned adults and up to 25% of burned children are hospitalized. Of all burns cases requiring hospitalization, 55% are children under 15, 40% are adults of working age and only 5% are over 65 years of age. Men comprise two-thirds of the patients. The estimated bed capacity according to data collected is 20 per one million inhabitants (16 in the case of a continuous 100% load): 12 for adults and 8 for children. Of all the fatalities from burns, approximately 70% of deaths occur immediately from injury. The overall hospital mortality of burned adults is 5%, and 1% in children. The most typical burned child is a toddler with a burn covering less than 5% of the skin surface. The average burned adult in hospital is a man of 42 with 12% burn of total skin surface (3% of third degree) and who is discharged after 17 days of hospitalization.

Language: en