Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 64. No. 2, 2025.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2025.64.02.06
Changing Patterns in Pediatric Burns in Croatia – Data from the National Referral Center during the 2010-2019 Period
Rok Kralj
orcid.org/0000-0001-5385-557X
; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Zagreb Children’s Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Zoran Barčot
; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Zagreb Children’s Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Mario Kurtanjek
; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Zagreb Children’s Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Petračić
; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Zagreb Children’s Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Karlo Tadić
; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Igor Bumči
; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Zagreb Children’s Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Stjepan Višnjić
; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Zagreb Children’s Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Rado Žic
; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Dubrava University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess changes during the past decade in the overall
number, as well as patterns of burn injuries according to age at the time of injury, total body surface
area (TBSA) affected, and burn injury mechanisms. We also wanted to evaluate the average length
of stay to TBSA ratio and seasonal variations according to burn injury mechanism. We performed a
review of 402 patients hospitalized at our institution during a 10-year period and divided them into
subgroups as follows: scalds, contact burns, flame and electrical burns, and massive thermal injuries
(>40% TBSA regardless of burn injury mechanism). The peak incidence of burn injuries was recorded
between the first and second year of life, and scalds predominated as the burn injury mechanism.
During the observed period, the average TBSA declined and scalds became even more dominant as
the burn injury mechanism. Seasonal variations could be confirmed for contact burns which occurred
most commonly during autumn and winter, and for flame and electrical burns that occurred most
often during summer. Given the fact that we recorded a decline in the number of patients with burn
injuries, we believe that it is of highest importance for the management of burn injury pathology to be
concentrated in a center with greatest experience in the treatment of burn injuries in children. Based
on the characteristics of patients with burn injuries, small children and preadolescents and young
adolescents should be targets of prevention campaigns.
Keywords
Burns, pediatric; Epidemiology
Hrčak ID:
337539
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2025.
Visits: 125 *