565 Pandemia Experience in Pediatric Minor to Moderate Burns and the Role of Telemedicine in Treatment

Abali, Ayse Ebru; Aydogan, Cem; Turkmen, Nigar; Haberal, Mehmet

INTRODUCTION: A huge number of pediatric burn injuries are minor to moderate burns. During covid-19 pandemia, these cases have continued to require medical attention. Aim of the present study was to share our burn center’s pandemia experience in minor to moderate burns in children. METHODS: Records of 117 victims (age:0 to 17yrs) were documented {study period: 3/11/2020(pandemia decleration by WHO)-9/11/2020}. Data were classified according to treatment modalities (outpatient/inpatient/telemedicine). Age; sex; extent of burns; burn cause; environment in which injury occured; referral history (time interval between injury and referral; other hospitals before arriving at our center) were noted for each case. Thereafter, subjects were divided into two subgroups according to pandemia calender: GroupIconsisted of referrals in march+april+may (national ‘lock-down’ period for children n=60) and GroupIIconsisted of referrals in june+july+august+september (‘new normal’ period with limited social life n=57) (mean±SE,p˂.05). Results: Outpatients comprised 82,1% of all referrals(n=96) with 361 in-person visits. Mean age was 4,2yrs±0,4(min:0 max:17); male/female ratio was 1,04/1. Mean total body surface area(TBSA) burned was 2,6%±0,6(min:0,2 max:20). The most common burn causes were scalds(n=79; 82,3%) and contact burns (n=11;11,5%). Number of referrals on the same day with injury was 41 (42,7%) and 65 referrals were unmediated(67,7%). Inpatients comprised of 11,1% of all referrals (n=13). Mean age was 3,9yrs ± 1,7 (min:1 max: 16). Male/female ratio was 0,9/1. Mean TBSA burned was 9,3%±1,8 (min:1 max:18). The most common burn cause was scalds(92,3%;n=12). Nine patients were hospitalized on the same day with injury (69,2%). Ten patients were referred from other hospitals (76,9%). Mean lenght of hospital stay was 6,77days±1,4 (min:1 max:14). Telemedicine visits (n=33) which were carried out for 23 children via e-mail and phone/video calls included photographic follow up visits for scars, treatment of contact dermatitis and controls of wound-dressings. Comparison of ‘lock-down’ period (groupI) with ‘new normal’ period (groupII) revealed that almost whole telemedicine service was carried out in groupI except two interurban visits in groupII. Findings were similar in both groups except the significant increase of outdoor burns and remarkable presence of sun burns in groupII(p< .05). CONCLUSIONS: Covid pandemia has created extraordinary conditions; however present data suggests that minor to moderate burns in childhood continue to occur anyway. Telemedicine is an advantageous method under pandemia conditions. Therefore, attempts for basic burn-care guidelines including telemedicine facilities should be supported.