Pattern of presentation and short term management outcomes of hand burns as seen at Kenyatta National Hospital
Abstract
This study looked at the pattern of hand burn injuries as a seen at KNH during the study
period. It covered children in the 0 - 13 years age group category admitted at the hospital. It
comprised both prospective and retrospective components with the aim of establishing the
pattern of presentation of hand burns, current management modes and short term
management out comes as seen at the plastic surgical unit in KNH.
Thestudy covered a period of three months prospectively from 1st June 2004 to 31 st August
2004 during which 34 cases were seen having met the inclusion criteria. It also
retrospectively looked at 531 cases from 1st September 1999 to 31st May 2004.
The main parameters documented were patients age, sex, residence, family size, place of
bum, site of burn, degree of burn, management mode and outcome of burn. The data was
collected using a questionnaire and SPSS computer package used for analysis.
In the study it was observed that there was an equal sex distribution of hand burns and that
the age group of 1 - 5 years was the most affected amongst children of age thirteen years and
below. Most hand burns occurred in the cooking areas and were mainly caused by hot fluids.
The majority of patient's (76.5%) were brought to hospital within the first 24 hours of injury.
Burns injuries were mostly managed conservatively and for the few who required surgical
care the commonest surgical procedure carried out was escharotomy, while early excision
and grafting was carried out infrequently. Most patients (61.8%) recovered fully with no
complications; however upto 20.6% developed debilitating complications like loss of digits
and contractures.
From the findings in this study it is recommended that a more pro-active approach in the
management of hand burns should be undertaken whenever these injuries are diagnosed; this
should include early excision and grafting of burn wounds. In order to provide this kind of
optimum care, specialized units well versed in set national hand burns management protocols
should be established so as to minimize debilitating complications of these kind of injuries.
Citation
M.Med (Surgery) ThesisSponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
Department of Medicine, University of Nairobi
Description
Master of Medicine