Medicolegal evaluation of burn injuries-an autopsy based study

Abstract

Even before the primitive man learnt to use fire, he has been a victim of it. Our study was carried out over a period of 2 years starting from 1st September 2012 to 31st August 2014 at SCB Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha on burn deaths. Aim and objective of the study was to know demographic pattern, cause of death and relation of body surface involved. The rate of burn death was 16.7% of the total autopsy. Female victims outnumbered male victims with a female to male ratio approximately 3.2: 1. Majority of the cases belong to adolescent and young adult (11-40 years) age group. Maximum no. of victims were married. In most of the cases fatal period was within 24 hours. Most of the deaths occurred when >40% of TBSA is involved. Most of the victims died within 1 week. More than 80% of TBSA are involved in majority of cases of shock, whereas a wide range of TBSA(30-100%) is involved in cases of septicaemia. Major cause of death in burn was septicaemia.