Epidemiology of burn injuries in Kosovo: a 10-year review

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Burn Care
• Pediatric Burns

Background:

• Burns represent a severe form of trauma with potential for long-term physical and psychological consequences.
• Pediatric burn injuries can be particularly devastating, requiring extensive medical and nursing interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze demographic and clinical data of burn patients admitted to the Clinic of Plastic Surgery in Kosovo.
• To identify trends in burn etiology, injury characteristics, treatment, and hospitalization duration.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical records from 1268 burn patients treated between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2015.
• Data collected included age, gender, burn cause, affected surface area, burn depth, injury location, seasonal incidence, treatment methods, and hospitalization duration.

Main Results:

• A total of 1268 patients were admitted, with males predominantly affected (65.85%).
• The average age of patients was 23 years.
• The study examined various factors including etiology, burn severity, and treatment outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Despite known study limitations, the findings indicate a persistent high incidence of burn injuries necessitating hospital admission.
• The data underscores the continued public health challenge posed by burn trauma.