Burns in epileptics in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

In a prospective study, 10 cases of burns in epileptics in Saudi Arabia, occurring over a five year period, were included. All burns were sustained during seizures. All patients were adults, and eight out of the 10 patients were female. The percentage of burn varied between 1 and 30% of the total body surface area. Four cases sustained the burn injury while fasting during the Arabic month of Ramadan because they did not take their anti-epileptic medication. Eight of the 10 burn injuries were sustained in the kitchen while cooking or ironing. One male patient had his epileptic fit at noon time while crossing the street. Contact with the hot ground in this patient resulted in full thickness burns. Recommendations regarding prevention of burn injuries in epileptics in Saudi Arabia are given. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd and ISBI.