Original Copy

O R I G I N A L CO N T R I B U T I O N A N D C L I N I C A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N

Mortality Rate in Burn Unit: A Six Years Study at the Burn

Unit in the King Hussein Medical Center, Royal Medical
Services, Jordan
Khalid A. El Maaytah
ABSTRACT Maher Al Khateeb
Ra’fat Al Abdallat
Objective: To study the mortality rate of burn Lamees Arabiyat
cases admitted to the Burn Unit in Royal Medical Manar El-Maaytah
Services and identify risk factors associated with Katreen Obeidat
burn injuries in order to provide improved methods
and recommendations to decrease mortality rate and Plastic Surgery Department
obtain a better outcome. Royal Rehabilitation Center
Royal Medical Services
Amman, Jordan
Methods: This is a retrospective study of 521 patients
admitted to the Burn Unit at King Hussein Medical Correspondence:
Center, Royal Medical Services in Jordan for the Khalid A. El Maaytah, M.D.
period January 2005 to December 2010. Data was Plastic Surgery Department
collected from patients’ records regarding age, gender, Royal Rehabilitation Center
total body surface area (TBSA) burn, cause of burn, Royal Medical Services
date of burn, date of arrival to hospital (DOB and Amman, Jordan
DOA respectively), and mortality rate. Correlation Phone: +962 777 412174
between mortality rate and the above mentioned risk Email: k_maaytah@yahoo.com
factors was studied using direct comparison through
tables, bar graphs and pie charts.
Conclusion: The main determinants in mortality rate
in this study are shown to be TBSA burn with above
Result: Overall mortality rate in the burn unit during
40% and direct flame burn (DFB) as the fatal factors.
the study period was found to be 13.5 % where 69
patients died. Regarding age groups, the highest
mortality rate was associated with ages above 14 Delay in referral to the burn unit was shown to play
years where 57 out of 299 patients died (19.1%); a minor role in mortality secondary to inappropriate
while it was 5.4% for ages 14 and below (12 out of resuscitation and set-up in other hospitals.
221 died). Mortality rate among female patients was
15.3% where 32 out of 209 female patients died, and
among male patients 11.9% where 37 out of 312 male Low threshold for immediate intubation in DFB
patients died. Mortality rate for patients with less with more than 40% TBSA regardless of signs of
than 40% TBSA was 3.1% (13 out of 413 died) and inhalational injury should be considered.
the rate for patients with TBSA equal or more than
40% was 51.9% (56 of 108 patients). Direct flame burn
Key Words: Burns, Mortality, Total Body Surface
was responsible for 89.9% of deaths in this study (62
Area (TBSA), direct flame burn.
patients), while scald and electrical burns were nearly
equal with approximately 3.6% each (5 patients) and
the remaining 2 patients were associated with other
causes of burn. 29 of the 69 deceased patients had
respiratory problems that required intubation before
arrest (41.3%), while 22 patients had sepsis (32.1%)
and 18 patients (26.6%) had a combination of both
which lead to multiple organ failure.

Approximately 75% of deceased patients were

admitted to the unit on the same day the burn
occurred (52 patients) while 17 patients (25%) were
admitted 1 - 20 days later.

MIDDLE
M I D D LEAST
E E A SJOURNAL
T J O U R N AOF
L OINTERNAL
F I N T E R N A MEDICINE
L M E D I C I N EVOLUME
• VO LU 5,
M EISSUE 3E 3
2 , I SSU