Abstract

There were 312 deaths among 1702 burn patients admitted to the Department of Surgery and Burns Unit at Han Gang Scacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University during four and half years from July 1986 to December 1990. This represents an overall mortality of 18.3%; 73.7per cent of the patients who died had sustained more than 50 per cent of total burn surface area(TBSA). A large number of deaths occured in two age groups, 21-30years(81 cases, 25.9%) and 31-40years(79cases, 25.3%). The male to female ratio of burn induced deaths was 2.4: 1. The mean burn surface area was 71per cent. Flame burns due to domestic accidents were the etiological factors in majority of patients; 254cases(81.5%) of those who died sustained flame burns. In 186cases(59.6%) the accident occured at home, mainly in the kitchen, while 94cases(30.1%) occured at work. The patients belonged to various occupational categories; manual and semi-skilled workers(1l4cases, 36.5%), pre-school age groups(53cases, 17.0%), housewives(33cases, 10.6%). 153cases(49.0%) died of wound sepsis, with its related MOF(multipe organ failures), remains the most important cause of death in our burn patients. The mean survival period was 11days postburn, the thirty-three cases(1O.6%) died within 24hours postburn, the longest period being 270days for a patient with 35% of TBSA