Citation

Ucak M, Celikkaya ME. J. Burn Care Res. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Pediatric Surgery, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Burn Association, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1093/jbcr/irz104

PMID

31197359

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the severity and location of flame burns and the mortality rate of civilians affected by these in the Syrian Civil War and to present the surgical treatment outcomes of the injured civilians to be able to provide recommendations.

RESULTS: The groups of TBSA were compared as 0-25% (n=97), 25% to 50% (n=257), 50% to 75% (n=135), and >75% (n=84) (p=0.413). Almost all had a second (n=331; 57.7%) and third (n=189; 32.9%) degree deep burns. The median burn size was 47% TBSA in the patients. The burn mechanism was mostly the flame type of burn (n=467; 81.5%) as a result of fuel oil explosions, followed by bomb-related burns (n=106; 18.5%) (p<0.001). Mortality was seen in 223 (39%) due to the high surface area and reaching hospital too late at 1 to 8 days (p=0.187).

CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate that war-related flame burns result in an extremely high mortality rate and time is lost, which could protect against life-threatening outcomes.

© Crown copyright 2019.

Language: en

Keywords

Flame; Syria; burn; war injury