The significance of completing burn excision within one week after injury

Burn wound excision is crucial for infection control in burn patients. Based on previous studies, the Japanese Society of Burn Injuries recommended that the surgical debridement be completed within one week after injury for patients with a burned area of 30 % or more. However, there have been no reports examining the significance of completing resection of the burn wound within one week. This study was aimed to clarify the importance of completing burn excision within one week after injury for 30 % or more in flame burn patients.

Data from 66 flame burn patients who underwent surgical excision from January 2005 to December 2024 were analyzed retrospectively.

There were no significant differences between the completed and uncompleted groups in terms of age, sex, severity of burn, the presence of inhalation injury, the use of cadaver skin, and the ICU length of stay. The presence of bacteremia within two weeks after injury was significantly lower in the completed group compared to the uncompleted group, and the mortality rate in the completed group was lower than that of the uncompleted group. In the logistic regression analysis, the completion of burn excision within one week was independently associated with the incidence of bacteremia but not mortality.

Completing burn excision within one week is important for infection control in flame burn patients with the total burn surface area of 30 % or more.