The Pattern and Outcome of Burn Injuries at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesha, Nigeria: a Review of 156 Cases

A review of 156 patients with burn injuries admitted over a 5-year period (January 1988-December 1992) at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesha, was undertaken. The male:female ratio was 1.6:1. About 70% of the cases were between 1 and 10 years of age (mean 9 years). Scalds were responsible for 50.6% of the cases while naked flames, including kerosene explosion and burns at road traffic accidents, were responsible for 43.5%. Seventy-one per cent were due to domestic accidents. The burns were categorized as major in 70% of cases. The trunk accounted for 56.4% of anatomical areas involved, upper limbs 51.3%, lower limbs 48%, while head and neck accounted for 28.8%. Open dressings were used in 70.5% of the cases, combined open and closed dressings in 22.4% and closed dressings in 10.3%. In about 90% of cases, silver sulphadiazine was used as a topical antimicrobial agent while natural honey was used on the rest. Wound infection was the commonest complication occurring in 24.4%, while mortality was recorded in 7.7% of cases.