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Updated: Sep 13, 2025
Author Spotlight: A Multi-Depth Porcine Model for Comprehensive Study of Burn Injuries and Healing Processes
Published on: February 23, 2024
Improvement in Burn Care and Outcomes: A Developing World Perspective
Ayodele O Iyun1, Samuel A Ademola1, Olayinka A Olawoye1
1Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, & Aesthetic Surgery, University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria; Department of Surgery, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Introduction:
Burn care in developing countries faces significant challenges, including a high incidence of major burns and limited treatment infrastructure.
Methods:
This study is an institutional review of publications on burn injuries between 2001 and 2022, with a focus on organizational changes that may have contributed to improved patient outcomes. The study period was divided into two intervals: 2001-2013 and 2013-2022, with the latter corresponding to the implementation of most institutional reforms. Publications from both periods were reviewed to assess changes in outcomes. The primary outcome measures included overall mortality rate, incidence of inhalation injury, mortality related to inhalation injury and pediatric mortality rate. Publications that did not report any of these outcomes were excluded. Significant organizational changes within the burn unit during the study periods were also documented.
Results:
Pediatric patients accounted for 45% of the study population. Inhalation injury was observed in 37% and 32% of patients admitted between 2001-2013 and 2013-2022, respectively. The mortality rates among patients with inhalation injuries were 71% and 38% during the periods 2001-2013 and 2013-2022, respectively. The pediatric mortality rate declined significantly from 39.5% (114 deaths out of 289 patients) between 2001 and 2013 to 10.2% (27 out of 265 patients) between 2013 and 2022. The Lethal Area 50 in the earlier period was 45%, increasing to 75.6% between 2013 and 2022. The overall mortality rate declined from 42% during 2001-2013 to 19% over the subsequent decade. Organizational strategies associated with these improvements included the establishment of a dedicated burn unit, training of specialized burn nurses, assigning of dedicated burn surgeon, consultant-led daily ward rounds, formation of a multidisciplinary burn team, implementation of standardized care protocols, routine burn audits and patient-centered case reviews.
Conclusions:
Our findings demonstrate a progressive improvement in burn injury outcomes and suggest potential for further advancement.
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