1Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Bhaskar Medical College, Yenkapally (V), Moinabad (M), R.R. Dist., Telangana
2Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Bhaskar Medical College, Yenkapally (V), Moinabad (M), R.R. Dist., Telangana
3Professor and HOD, Department of Forensic Medicine, Bhaskar Medical College, Yenkapally (V), Moinabad (M), R.R. Dist., Telangana
Burns are considered as one of the most destructive injuries, which cause not only deaths but also major economic and psychological impacts and long term somatic sequelae.
To access the magnitude of the fatal burn injuries among the victims who came to hospital.
A total of 188 patients with burn injury admitted to the Bhaskar Medical College and Hospital during July 2011 to July 2015 were assessed and subsequently there were 48 in-hospital deaths. Autopsies on the dead burned patients were performed at Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad
Around three fourths of the cases were women, with 58.4% of the total cases in 21–30 age group. Accidental deaths accounted for 76.5% of the cases, while 22.1% of the patients having more than 90% of burns on their body surface. The days of survival of the burn victims was, 72 hours in most of the cases, out of which many died within 48 hours. The leading cause of death was septicemia.
Most burn deaths may be preventable with better airway management and more aggressive but precise resuscitative efforts. However, sepsis, due to multi-drug resistant organisms, may continue to impede efforts to increase survival if we cannot develop strategies to fight these organisms.
Burns, autopsy, accidental, suicidal
