Impact of Inhalation Injury on Burn Outcome and Challenges of Burn Care in Selected Adult Major Burns Patients Treated at a Tertiary Institutional Teaching Hospital in Benin City Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Burn injury is a major trauma which range from minor burns to major burns. Burns are the fourth most common type of trauma worldwide. Major burns have been known to have fatal outcomes. Hence, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the impact of inhalation injury on burn outcome and challenges of burn care in selected adult major burns patients treated at a Tertiary Institutional Teaching Hospital in Benin, City Edo State, Nigeria over a 12 months period using sixty patients of 28 males and 32 females with a male to female ratio of 1; 1.14. Upon patients’ arrival, they were resuscitated. The burn size and the burn depth were estimated. Burn size was estimated using The Lund and Browder chart. The depth of the burn was assessed clinically. These were documented in charts and graphs. Thirty two patients (53.3%) presented in the hospital within 4 hours of burns. Seven patients (11.7%) presented between 5-8hours while 21(35.0%) presented after 8hours. Mortality rate was more in patients with inhalation injury (62.5%) as compared to those without (14.3%). This finding was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.001).  Flame burn accounted for the highest aetiological agent with Kerosene explosions as the commonest cause. In conclusion, flame burns were the commonest aetiological factors in burns. Inhalation injury was a significant risk for death in patients with major burns.