ACUTE INJURY caused by burns produces some of the most horrendous and harrowing deformities encountered by persons working in the emergency and health care services. These injuries have a high mortality and, should the patients survive, they will carry with them the lifelong scars – physical, psychological, and emotional.

Worldwide, injury caused by fire is a major cause of morbidity, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where open fires are used to heat food and water. Sadly, most of these injuries occur in toddlers.

In the developed world, house fires and industrial accidents are the major culprits causing burn injury. In the United States alone, more than 500,000 people are seen in emergency departments each year as a result of burn injury; more than 50,000 are admitted to hospital, and more than 5000 deaths per year are attributed to the burn injury.

Approximately 50% of household and domestic burn injuries result from hot-water scalding and fires that occur in the kitchen. Most are managed outside hospital practice. Highest rates of burn-related injury and death are observed in children younger than 5 years and elderly persons older than 75 years. Since the introduction of gas-fired central heating and the tightening of health and safety laws, the incidence of these events has become less commonplace.

Heat energy is transmitted through radiation, conduction, and convection. Thermal injury usually occurs as a result of fire, but chemicals, electricity, and radiation can also cause burn injury.