[Hospital admissions for burns].

[BACKGROUND] We wanted to investigate the incidence of burns and the volume of in-hospital burn treatment in Norway.

[MATERIAL AND METHODS] Data for 1999 were compiled from hospital admissions as reported to the Norwegian Patient Register. Selection was based on ICD-10 codes for burns, though caustic injuries, reconstructive procedures, and patients discharged alive with length-of-stay less than 1 day were not included.

[RESULTS] 707 admissions requiring 9444 days in hospital were identified. The incidence of burns admitted to hospital was 13.5/100,000 inhabitants/year. Additionally, 102 admissions were coded as post-burn reconstructive cases. 50% all admissions and 40 % of all days in hospital for burns were in hospitals without a department of plastic surgery. 24 burn patients died before discharge; 50% of those who died were above 80 years of age. 29% of all stays included a code representing surgical procedures involving skin excision and grafting.

[INTERPRETATION] The incidence of burns admitted to hospitals in 1999 was reduced by 20% compared to a 1977 survey. The number of reconstructive procedures was low; these options should probably be offered to more patients. We suggest that early transfer to a specialised burn centre should be considered for a somewhat larger proportion of patients.