BACKGROUND Burn is one of the most devastating condition. It is seen in all age groups from a baby to the elderly. Burn injuries pose a big challenge to the medical fraternity. Burn injuries can have an effect on the skin, respiratory, cardio vascular, renal, haematological, G.I, musculoskeletal, eye, immune system, metabolism and nutrition. Burns may be Superficial or partial thickness where the epidermis is involved, full thickness when all the layers of skin are involved and deep burn. MATERIALS AND METHODS Total of 64 patients who have attended the OPD and Casualty with burn injuries and given consent for the study were studied in a period of 2 years duration in the Department of Surgery, S.C.B. Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. RESULTS Burn injury is a common health hazard. These injurues are seen in low socio economic status because of poverty, overcrowding, poor condition of living and ignorance regarding precautions to be taken during fire accidents Incidence is high in females. Male burns are attributed to. Male burns may be attributed to alcohol, smoking and domestic violence which is seen in our study. Burns can be due to accidents, suicidal or homicidal. The percentage of body surface area in burns is calculated as per Wallace rule of nine's. It helps to estimate the percentage of burn and the fluid estimation is done. Burn injuries produce irreversible cell protein denaturation. Cytoplasmic coagulation, blockage of thermolabile enzymes and cell death. Most burn deaths occur in the developing world particularly in South East Asia CONCLUSION Burn injuries are frequently seen. The contribute to almost 20% of admissions in the tertiary care hospitals. In the present study in S.C.B. Medical College and hospital, Cuttack, Odisha female burn patients in the third decade of life was the commonest. Those patients are mostly house wives and they have a close proximity to the kitchen. Some of the deaths were dowry related and are either suicidal or homicidal .As this hospital where the study has been undertaken is a tertiary care hospital, patients are normally referred later. Hence hypovolaemic and neurogenic shock has not been properly dealt in the primary hospitals which adds to morbidity and mortality in these patients. Burn injuries can have an effect on the skin, respiratory, cardio vascular, renal, haematological, G.I, musculoskeletal, eye, immune system, metabolism and nutrition. Burns may be Superficial or partial thickness where the epidermis is involved, full thickness when all the layers of skin are involved and deep burn.
