The Epidemiology of Foot Burns at Chiang Mai University Hospital: A 6-Year Retrospective Analysis
Keywords:
Foot burn, epidemiology, amputation, risk factorAbstract
The epidemiology of isolated foot burns and foot burns with multifocal areas was evaluated. A total of 114
patients with 174 diagnosed foot burns who were treated in the burn unit of Chiang Mai University Hospital between
January 2007 and December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Two-thirds of patients were referred cases. Ninetyfour
patients (83 %) were male, and 20 patients (17%) were female. Thirty-five patients (31 %) were children. The
etiology of the burns was flame injury in 40 % of patients, scalding in 22%, electrical in 3 %, blast injury in 12%, and
contact burns in 4%. Scalding was the most common cause of burns in children (57 %). Anatomic and specific
locations, extent and depth of burn, and modality of treatment were recorded. Conservative wound dressings,
appropriate splinting, and rehabilitation were used for superficial and deep dermal foot burns. Autografting was
applied to 23 % of patients. One locoregional flap was created for coverage. Fourteen patients underwent
amputations of various types. Electrical injury, a common occurrence with electricians, resulted in significantly more
amputations than those without electrical injury (p < 0.001). Third and fourth degree burns were associated with a
higher risk of amputation (p = 0.004). Although the foot accounts for a small percentage of the body surface area,
foot burns is a catastrophic influence on patients’ quality of life.
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