Pediatric Burns in University Clinical Centre of Kosovo From 2011-2015.

The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of burn-related injuries in children <15 years in Kosovo, and compare incidence and cause of burns with our previous study conducted over the period 2005-2010 on children with burn injuries of the same age group. This was a retrospective study of pediatric patients (n=277) admitted to the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2015. We analyzed data on gender, age, cause, location, burn size (TBSA), depth of injury, seasonality, duration of hospitalization and treatment of burn-related injuries, collected from the medical records available in the archives of the University Clinical Centre of Pristina. The patients were categorized into three age groups: infants and toddlers (0-2 years), early childhood (3-6 years) and late childhood (7-15 years). Data were analyzed applying descriptive statistics, Chi-square. P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. During the study period 2011-2015, in our population, burns in children were predominant in boys, with 166 cases (59.9%), while 111 patients were girls (40.1%). The incidence of extensive burns in childhood remains high, although we have seen a slight decrease compared to the previous 5-year study period.

Cette étude rétrospective décrit l'épidémiologie des 277 enfants kosovars brûlés (âge <15 ans) hospitalisés entre le 1er janvier 2011 et le 31 décembre 2015 dans le CTB du CHUI de Pristina, puis la compare aux données relevées entre 2005 et 2010. Nous avons analysé l'âge, le sexe, la cause, la surface, la profondeur, la localisation, la saisonnalité, la durée d'hospitalisation, le traitement. Les données ont été extraites des dossiers. Nous avons répartis les enfants en 3 classes d'âge: nouveaux- nés et nourrissons (<2 ans), petits enfants (3 à 6 ans) et grands enfants (7 à 15 ans). Les garçons étaient plus souvent atteints (166-59,9%) que les filles (111-40,1%). L'incidence demeure élevée, bien qu'en légère diminution comparativement à celle de la période précédente.

Surgical treatment of burns sequelae. our experience in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Pristina, Kosovo.

Burn injuries are very frequent in Kosovo, leading to long-lasting physical, functional, aesthetic, psychological and social consequences directly proportional to the time of healing; the longer it takes for the burn wound to heal, the more serious are the sequelae. The objectives of the present study are to review the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of burn patients presenting with post-burn sequelae and treated at the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Pristina, Kosovo, from January 2005 until December 2011. This study included 188 patients with burns sequelae. The following variables were considered: age, sex, anatomical location, pathological types, and surgical procedure. There were 82 men (43.6%) and 106 women (56.4%), ranging in age from 0 to 67 years (mean age 33.5 years), most of the patients were children (139 = 73.9%). Burn contractures were observed in 135 (71.8%) patients, hypertrophic scars in 32 (17%), keloids in 10 (5.3%), alopecia in 6 (3.2%), syndactyly in 12 (6.4%), ectropion in 4 (2.1%) and ear deformity in 1 (0.53%) cases. To correct the deformities the most common choice was the Z-plasty technique, used in 31.4% of cases, followed by Z-plasty+full thickness skin grafts in 21.8%, full thickness skin grafts in 18.1%, tissue expansion in 8%, Z-plasty+local flaps in 4.8%, flaps (local, fascio-cutaneous, radial forearm) in 6.9% and direct closure in 6.4%. Timely wound closure and the development of an individual programme for surgical treatment of burns sequelae are crucial for optimal outcomes in patients with burns.

Les brûlures sont très fréquentes au Kosovo: elles sont à l'origine de séquelles fonctionnelles, esthétiques, psychologiques et sociales qui sont directement proportionnelles à la durée de la cicatrisation. Les objectifs de cette étude sont d'examiner les aspects épidémiologiques, cliniques et thérapeutiques chez les patients présentant des séquelles de brûlures dans notre département de chirurgie plastique et reconstructive de Pristina de Janvier 2005 à Décembre 2011. Cette étude réunit 188 patients. Les facteurs suivants ont été examinés: âge, sexe, localisation anatomique, profondeur de la brûlure, et technique chirurgicale. On dénombre 82 hommes (43.6%) et 106 femmes (56.4%), âgés de 0 à 67 ans (âge moyen: 33.5 années), la plupart des patients étaient des enfants (139 = 73.9%). Les rétractions ont été observées chez 135 patients (71.8%), les cicatrices hypertrophiques dans 32 cas (17%), les chéloïdes dans 10 cas (5.3%), l'alopécie dans 6 cas (3.2%), la syndactylie dans 12 cas (6.4%), l'ectropion dans 4 cas (2.1 %) et une seule déformation de l'oreille (0.53%). Pour les corriger, la méthode la plus fréquente était la plastie en Z utilisée dans 31.4% des cas, suivie par la plastie en Z +greffe de peau totale (21.8%), greffe de peau totale seule (18.1%), expansion (8%), plastie en Z +lambeau local (4.8%), lambeau [de voisinage, fascio-cutané, anti brachial] (6.9%) et suture directe (6.4%). La fermeture de la plaie dans les meilleurs délais et la mise au point d'un programme chirurgical individuel permettent d'obtenir des résultats optimaux dans les séquelles de brûlures.

Electrical burn injuries of 246 patients treated at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo during the period 2005-2010.

BACKGROUND: In the developing world, the incidence of electrical injuries has increased in the past few years. Electrical injuries represent approximately 5 % of all burn admissions to burn units in the United States. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to understand the causes of electrical burns in our population, sex, age, duration of treatment, distribution of electrical burns by season, accompanying other traumatic injuries with electrical burns, entry lesions of high-voltage electrocution, location of injuries, the methods of treatment, duration of treatment, and mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study that included 246 patients with electrical burns treated in the 2005-2010 period at the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Kosovo. The data were collected and analyzed from the archives and protocols of the University Clinical Center of Kosovo. Data processing was done with the statistical package InStat 3. From the statistical parameters the structural index, arithmetic median, and standard deviation were calculated. Data testing was done with the χ(2) test and the differences were considered significant if p < 0.05. CONCLUSION: The high mortality, 9.1 %, and 7 patients (10.6 %) transferred out of our country for treatment is a reflection of the lack of a burn center in our department.

Electrical Burn Injuries. An Eight-year Review.

Electrical injuries are very aggressive pathological lesions with heavy functional and aesthetic consequences. The primary cause of their gravity is the progressive tissue necrosis that occurs with the continuous extension of wound necrosis, even leading to loss of the entire injured extremity. The goal of this study is to analyse the role of the inefficiency of the electric energy system in the incidence of electrical injuries in Kosovo during the period December 2000 to 2007 suffered by a total number of 182 patients treated in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Pristina, Kosovo. Electrical injuries accounted overall for 17.25% of all patients admitted with burns; 35.72% of the burns were due to high voltage and 64.28% to low voltage; among the patients with contact burns the amputation rate was 28.58%, and four patients (7.14%) died. These results suggest that the aggravation of the electric energy system led to an increase in the number of patients with electrical injuries.

Surgical Treatment of a Burns Case of 40% TBSA.

We describe the case of a two-year-old boy with massive burns. After the period of shock and sepsis, very successful four-phase operative treatment was performed, with combined skin grafting homograft plus autograft. With regard to the four surgical interventions, in the first two we used the above combined method, while in the other two we used grafting only with skin autograft. We also used the donor region of the epicranial scalp.