Citation

Maslauskas K, Rimdeika R, Saladzinskas Z, Ramanauskas T. Medicina (Lithuania) 2004; 40(7): 620-626.

Affiliation

Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Clinic of Surgery, Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, Eiveniu 2, 50010 Kaunas, Lithuania. m.kestas@one.lt

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Lietuvos Gydytoju Sajunga Lithuania)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15252225

Abstract

This study reviews the epidemiology of adult patients with hand burns admitted to Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital in Lithuania during selected four years (1985, 1995, 2001 and 2002). Two hundred and forty six cases were reviewed retrospectively with 74.4% of males and 25.6% of females among them. Median of age was 40 years (38 males, 45 females). Fire (71.9%) was the most common cause of injury; scalds (15.4%) were the second most common reason. The median of burned total body surface area was 12%. Analyzing the burns, 58.9% of them occurred in urban area (57.1% full-thickness burns), and 41.1% in rural (42.9% full-thickness burns). The study revealed that 17.1% (42) males and 3.7% (9) females were affected by alcohol at the time of injury. Early skin grafting was performed in 29.4% cases (mostly in 2001, 2002), delayed--70.6% (mostly in 1985, 1995) of all skin grafting operations. Early grafting was found to give better results in the length of hospital stay. Overall, the median of hospital stay significantly decreased and was 24 days (35 days in 1985, 19 days in 2002).

Language: en