Primus stove burns in Cape Town: a costly but preventable injury

The management and outcome was evaluated in 33 patients during an 18-month period, who sustained burns as a result of working with a primus stove. There were 17 females and 16 males with an average age of 32.5 years. Twenty-nine patients were black skinned and four were coloured skinned. The average burn surface area was 16.8 per cent and the burns were deep dermal in all; 48 per cent of patients also had areas of full thickness skin loss. Twenty-seven patients were burned in more than one anatomical area. Patients spent an average of 24 days in the burns unit and all patients required tangential excision and skin grafting at least once. The average number of units of blood required was four. Only one patient died. Primus stove burns occurred in people of poor social circumstances. Primus stove burns place a heavy burden on the economic resources available. Prevention is the key to management.