Scandinavian Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
ISSN: 0036-5556 (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/iphs18
Burn Injuries in Finland Seppo Nieminen, Veikko Laaksonen, Jouko Viljanto & Antti Pakkanen To cite this article: Seppo Nieminen, Veikko Laaksonen, Jouko Viljanto & Antti Pakkanen (1977) Burn Injuries in Finland, Scandinavian Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 11:1, 63-67, DOI: 10.3109/02844317709025498 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/02844317709025498
Published online: 08 Jul 2009.
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Citing articles: 1 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=iphs18 Download by: [University of Saskatchewan Library]
Date: 04 April 2016, At: 00:09
Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg 11: 63-67, 1977
BURN INJURIES IN FINLAND Seppo Nieminen, Veikko Laaksonen, Jouko Viljanto and Antti Pakkanen From the Deparrment of Surgery (Head: S . J . Viikari), University Hospital, Turku, Finland
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 00:09 04 April 2016
(Submitted for publication December 26, 1976)
Abstract. In the present investigation the bum injuries in Finland are estimated for a non-selected bums population. Annually 0.4% of the population seek medical care for burn injuries. The incidence of bums cases requiring hospital admission is 351105 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 IS, 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.
The treatment of burns injuries is centred in specialized units in the great cities of several countries. In Finland the treatment of burns is not yet centralized and organizing of the burns units is at present under consideration. For this reason we consider it proper to investigate the total frequency of burns injuries and the need for hospitalization for the burned patients in our country. For the main material of investigation we used the patients within the Turku University Central Hospital (TUCH) district. The municipality of Turku is the third largest city in Finland and is inhabited by an average Finnish population. All burns injuries from Turku city requiring hospitalization are primarily cared for in ___
Postal address: Seppo Nieminen, M.D., Department of Surgery, University of Turku, SF-20520 Turku 52, Finland.
TUCH. As TUCH also functions as a casualty emergency station for the central hospital district, injuries from the neighbouring communities are admitted as well. Thus the immediate district of TUCH is a well-defined geographical area having 250000 inhabitants (1971). MATERIAL For the present investigation medical data were collected concerning primary admissions of all adult burns patients during the ten-year period of 1965-74 in TUCH. The data collected were processed in the Turku University Processing Centre. Additionally, access was available to medical histories of children’s burns treated in TUCH pediatric ward over the years 1968-73 and likewise to burns patients from emergency ward for 1974. The investigation of burns patients in TUCH during the ten-year period of 1942-51 (Renkonen, 1952) was used as comparison material.
RESULTS TUCH surgical ward treated 386 primary adult burns cases, including 265 men (69%) and 121 women (31 %) during the ten-year period 1965-74 (Fig. 1). The mean age of the men was 40, and of women, 44 years (Fig. 2 ) . Multiple injuries comprised 6 % of all the burn patients. The total number of burn patients for 1942-51 was 197 (Renkonen). The severity of the burn was classified according to the proportion affected of the total body surface. Mild burns (up to 10% of the body surface) constituted 69%, moderate ( I I-30%) some 27%, and severe (over 30%) 4.5 % of the material. No appreciable annual variation in the above distribution was detectable. The distribution of the degree of burn within the various age groups proved to be approximately uniform (Table I). The average percentage
S. Nieminen el al.
64
PATIENTS
m
I
Table 11. Average duration of primary treatment and mortality of adult burn patients ( N =386), distributed in age groups, treated in TUCH, 1965-74
FEMALE MALE DEAD
I3
R
15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 00:09 04 April 2016
65-74 >75
Total
1965-66-67-68-69 -70-71 -72-73 -74 Fig. 1 . Yearly distribution of adult burns patients (N=386) treated in TUCH during 1965-74.
of skin surface burned was 12% amongst men and 13 % amongst women. Third degree (full thickness) burns suffered by men and women totalled to 3 and 4 % of the total body surface, respectively. The duration of primary burn treatment in the hospital averaged 17.2 (k20.7) days. The corresponding number of days during the period 1942-51 was 23.1 (Renkonen). The average primary treatment period increased with the age of the patient (Table 11). Hospitalization time in burns cases has diminished over recent years: during 1965-69 an average 17.8 days of treatment were required, compared with 16.6 days during the years 1970-74. Third degree burns required a manifestly longer period of hospital treatment: 47.1 days in 1965-69 and 4 1.8 days in 1970-74.
Average duration of treatment (days)
(%I
12.1 14.2 14.6 16.8 21.0 33.6 30.3 17.2
1.2 8.3 1.4 8.9 8.3 0 13.6 5.4
Mortality
Upon the termination of the primary care, 89.6% of rehabilitating patients were discharged. During the primary phase, 4.9% were transferred to another hospital. The mortality rate for all burn patients was 5.4% (6.0% mortality in men and 4.1 % in women). The annual mortality figures are given in Fig. 1. The age of the patient was not connected with the incidence of burn mortality (Table 11), possibly on account of the small number of deaths. The severity of the burn, however, had a direct correlation with mortality (Table 111). In the period 1942-51 the mortality among adult patients was 6.1 % (Renkonen). In TUCH. children's burns are treated on the
I NUMBEROF
Table I. Extent of burns (% of body surface) according to age groups of adult patients (N=386) treated in TUCH, 1965-74 (%) ~~
Extent of burns (%) Age
50
15-24 25-34 3544 45-54
48 40 35 45 32 42 50
23 30 30 24 34 21 36
22 15 21 16 23 29 9
8 7 11 4 6 8 5
4 5 2 2 -
1 4 3 5 2 -
55-64
65-74 >75
Scund J Plust Reconstr Surg I I
Fig. 2. Age distribution of adult bum patients (N=386) cared for during 1965-74.
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 00:09 04 April 2016
Burn injuries in Finland
65
Table 111. Mortality in relation to extent (%of body surface) of the deep (3rd degree) burns in adult patients (N=386) treated in TUCH, 196.5-74
Table V . Distribution of burned children (N=304) according to extent of burn (% of body surface), treated during 1968-73
Extent of deep burns surface)
Mortality
(% of body
(%I
(% of
15 610 I 1-20 21-30 3 1-50 >50
1.8 15.0 18.2 50.0 100 100
ISSN: 0036-5556 (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/iphs18
Burn Injuries in Finland Seppo Nieminen, Veikko Laaksonen, Jouko Viljanto & Antti Pakkanen To cite this article: Seppo Nieminen, Veikko Laaksonen, Jouko Viljanto & Antti Pakkanen (1977) Burn Injuries in Finland, Scandinavian Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 11:1, 63-67, DOI: 10.3109/02844317709025498 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/02844317709025498
Published online: 08 Jul 2009.
Submit your article to this journal
Article views: 5
View related articles
Citing articles: 1 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=iphs18 Download by: [University of Saskatchewan Library]
Date: 04 April 2016, At: 00:09
Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg 11: 63-67, 1977
BURN INJURIES IN FINLAND Seppo Nieminen, Veikko Laaksonen, Jouko Viljanto and Antti Pakkanen From the Deparrment of Surgery (Head: S . J . Viikari), University Hospital, Turku, Finland
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 00:09 04 April 2016
(Submitted for publication December 26, 1976)
Abstract. In the present investigation the bum injuries in Finland are estimated for a non-selected bums population. Annually 0.4% of the population seek medical care for burn injuries. The incidence of bums cases requiring hospital admission is 351105 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 IS, 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.
The treatment of burns injuries is centred in specialized units in the great cities of several countries. In Finland the treatment of burns is not yet centralized and organizing of the burns units is at present under consideration. For this reason we consider it proper to investigate the total frequency of burns injuries and the need for hospitalization for the burned patients in our country. For the main material of investigation we used the patients within the Turku University Central Hospital (TUCH) district. The municipality of Turku is the third largest city in Finland and is inhabited by an average Finnish population. All burns injuries from Turku city requiring hospitalization are primarily cared for in ___
Postal address: Seppo Nieminen, M.D., Department of Surgery, University of Turku, SF-20520 Turku 52, Finland.
TUCH. As TUCH also functions as a casualty emergency station for the central hospital district, injuries from the neighbouring communities are admitted as well. Thus the immediate district of TUCH is a well-defined geographical area having 250000 inhabitants (1971). MATERIAL For the present investigation medical data were collected concerning primary admissions of all adult burns patients during the ten-year period of 1965-74 in TUCH. The data collected were processed in the Turku University Processing Centre. Additionally, access was available to medical histories of children’s burns treated in TUCH pediatric ward over the years 1968-73 and likewise to burns patients from emergency ward for 1974. The investigation of burns patients in TUCH during the ten-year period of 1942-51 (Renkonen, 1952) was used as comparison material.
RESULTS TUCH surgical ward treated 386 primary adult burns cases, including 265 men (69%) and 121 women (31 %) during the ten-year period 1965-74 (Fig. 1). The mean age of the men was 40, and of women, 44 years (Fig. 2 ) . Multiple injuries comprised 6 % of all the burn patients. The total number of burn patients for 1942-51 was 197 (Renkonen). The severity of the burn was classified according to the proportion affected of the total body surface. Mild burns (up to 10% of the body surface) constituted 69%, moderate ( I I-30%) some 27%, and severe (over 30%) 4.5 % of the material. No appreciable annual variation in the above distribution was detectable. The distribution of the degree of burn within the various age groups proved to be approximately uniform (Table I). The average percentage
S. Nieminen el al.
64
PATIENTS
m
I
Table 11. Average duration of primary treatment and mortality of adult burn patients ( N =386), distributed in age groups, treated in TUCH, 1965-74
FEMALE MALE DEAD
I3
R
15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 00:09 04 April 2016
65-74 >75
Total
1965-66-67-68-69 -70-71 -72-73 -74 Fig. 1 . Yearly distribution of adult burns patients (N=386) treated in TUCH during 1965-74.
of skin surface burned was 12% amongst men and 13 % amongst women. Third degree (full thickness) burns suffered by men and women totalled to 3 and 4 % of the total body surface, respectively. The duration of primary burn treatment in the hospital averaged 17.2 (k20.7) days. The corresponding number of days during the period 1942-51 was 23.1 (Renkonen). The average primary treatment period increased with the age of the patient (Table 11). Hospitalization time in burns cases has diminished over recent years: during 1965-69 an average 17.8 days of treatment were required, compared with 16.6 days during the years 1970-74. Third degree burns required a manifestly longer period of hospital treatment: 47.1 days in 1965-69 and 4 1.8 days in 1970-74.
Average duration of treatment (days)
(%I
12.1 14.2 14.6 16.8 21.0 33.6 30.3 17.2
1.2 8.3 1.4 8.9 8.3 0 13.6 5.4
Mortality
Upon the termination of the primary care, 89.6% of rehabilitating patients were discharged. During the primary phase, 4.9% were transferred to another hospital. The mortality rate for all burn patients was 5.4% (6.0% mortality in men and 4.1 % in women). The annual mortality figures are given in Fig. 1. The age of the patient was not connected with the incidence of burn mortality (Table 11), possibly on account of the small number of deaths. The severity of the burn, however, had a direct correlation with mortality (Table 111). In the period 1942-51 the mortality among adult patients was 6.1 % (Renkonen). In TUCH. children's burns are treated on the
I NUMBEROF
Table I. Extent of burns (% of body surface) according to age groups of adult patients (N=386) treated in TUCH, 1965-74 (%) ~~
Extent of burns (%) Age
50
15-24 25-34 3544 45-54
48 40 35 45 32 42 50
23 30 30 24 34 21 36
22 15 21 16 23 29 9
8 7 11 4 6 8 5
4 5 2 2 -
1 4 3 5 2 -
55-64
65-74 >75
Scund J Plust Reconstr Surg I I
Fig. 2. Age distribution of adult bum patients (N=386) cared for during 1965-74.
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 00:09 04 April 2016
Burn injuries in Finland
65
Table 111. Mortality in relation to extent (%of body surface) of the deep (3rd degree) burns in adult patients (N=386) treated in TUCH, 196.5-74
Table V . Distribution of burned children (N=304) according to extent of burn (% of body surface), treated during 1968-73
Extent of deep burns surface)
Mortality
(% of body
(%I
(% of
15 610 I 1-20 21-30 3 1-50 >50
1.8 15.0 18.2 50.0 100 100
