Epidemiology of burn injuries: 2 years' experience in a specialized hospital in Mexico City

Burn lesions are one of the most devastating forms of trauma. Taking care of this type of lesion generates high costs and may lead to irreversible consequences that limit the daily activities of these patients. This is a two-year descriptive epidemiological study of burned patients treated in a specialized hospital in Mexico City. Data from 38 patients admitted to this hospital were analyzed. Population mean age was 41 years: a higher frequency of men aged 27 to 55 years were affected. The most common mechanism was direct flame, and upper and lower extremities were most frequently affected. Mean affected body surface area was 32.5%. A total of 63% required cutaneous grafting: it was observed that those grafted early (10.5 versus 41.8 days) spent fewer days in the ICU and a lower percentage of them contracted sepsis (62% versus 78%). Patients with Pseudomona aeruginosa had a longer hospital stay and underwent a greater number of surgeries for skin grafting. No difference was observed between graft integration percentages. Early grafting (<7 days) resulted in a shorter stay in the ICU and fewer overall total days in the hospital, as well as a lower rate of sepsis and admission to the ICU. The Pseudomona infection group had a longer hospital stay, greater number of surgical procedures for skin grafting and there was no difference in graft integration percentages.