Ten-Year Review of Pediatric Burn Hospitalizations in Southern Taiwan at a Burn Unit: Epidemiology and Changing Trends

Background: Burn injury in the pediatric population is a major cause of injury related hospitalization frequently leading to life-long disfigurement and debilitation. Improvement in burn care, efforts at public education and legislation has been effected to address and prevent this major epidemiological problem. Aim and Objectives: This review aims to study the epidemiology of pediatric burn injury related hospitalization, and identify trends in this group of injury. Materials and Methods: A ten-year retrospective review of pediatric burn-injury-related hospitalizations in a burn unit in Southern Taiwan was conducted. All admissions to the burn unit under the age of 16 were included within the study period. Results: Of the seven hundred and thirty-two consecutive admissions, scald burns constituted the significant majority (89.5%), all of which occurred indoors and resulted from exposure to a household hazard. Most burns were small in size and superficial, and only 5.7% of patients underwent surgical intervention (42 debridement, 20 skin grafting, and 2 free flap reconstruction). With respect to the outcome, almost all patients (94.3%) healed uneventfully. Complications included wound infection in 12 patients (1.6%), scar contracture in 9 (1.2%), and 1 mortality related to pneumonia. Efforts in public education of the ＂Five-Step Aid＂ (Flush, Remove, Soak, Cover, and Send) in Taiwan contributed to the decreasing incidence of burn-related admissions since 2005. Conclusion: Pediatric burn injuries are still significant problems. We hope that more effort can be put into preventing more such injuries and that it will further decrease the incidence, mortality, and length of hospital stay in pediatric burn injuries.