Burn wound excision and grafting in pediatric burns: Evaluation of 40 cases

Between June 1990 and June 1992, 105 patients with deep second degree or third degree burns were treated in burn unit of our department. Burn wound excision and/or grafting was carried out in 40 out of 105 cases and evaluated retrospectively. The age of the patients ranged from 11 months to 12 years (mean age 4.1 years). The burned area of the cases was ranging between 2% and 60% of total body surface area (16.2%). In the series, total number of the brun wound excisions is 43, and the total number of graft applications is 53. Burn wound excision was carried out between the second, and 17th postburn day (mean 8.6th day). Graft application was carried out earliest in the fourth, latest in the 59th postburn day (mean 20.7th day). Burn wound excision was carried out mean 1.5 times (1 to 4 times), grafting was carried out mean 1.9 times (1 to 5 times). Mean hospital stay of the cases was 13.1 days after grafting and 31.6 days totally. Two patients died because of sepsis; the mortality rate is 5%