title: Fatal burns in Manipal area: a 10 year study.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to record and evaluate the causes and the magnitude of the fatal burn injuries retrospectively. An analysis of autopsy records revealed 19.4% cases of burn injuries amongst the total autopsies done over 10years period (1993-2002) in the mortuary of the department of Forensic Medicine of Kasturba medical College, Manipal. The majority of deaths (78.5%) occurred between 11 and 40years of age group with preponderance of females (74.8%). The flame burns were seen in 94.1% of the victims followed by scalds and electrical burns in 2.8% and 2.5% cases, respectively. The majority of burn incidents were accidental (75.8%) in nature followed by suicidal (11.5%) and homicidal (3.1%) deaths. The percentage of burn (TBSA) over 40% were observed in most of the cases (92.5%). The majority of deaths occurred within a week (69.87%) and most the victims died because of septicemia (50.9%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology (Forensic Unit), Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. virendrakr@um.edu.my
authors.forename: Virendra
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Manoj Kumar
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Mohanty
authors.forename: Sarita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanth
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000401:mortality; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D002648:Child; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012769:Shock / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data