Policy of Burn Care at the Baskent University Ankara Hospital During the COVID-19 Period

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Although hospital admissions and elective surgeries were recommended to be reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic period, the same could not be done for burn patients. It is vital that burn treatment starts immediately and continues without interruption. With this in mind, burn centers should take added precautions during this pandemic. In the present study, we present our experiences in our burn center during the pandemic period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 2020 to February 2021, 457 patients were successfully treated at our center. We implemented training immediately for all hospital staff, with all staff provided with personal protective equipment. We minimized the risk of contamination by completely isolating burn patients and reducing the number of beds. We determined a 3-degree protection protocol according to the general condition of the patients and the diagnosis of COVID-19. During the pandemic period, we continued to treat burn patients by adhering to our protection protocols. RESULTS: During pandemic period, 381 patients (83.4%) were treated as outpatients and 76 patients (16.6%) were hospitalized. The most common cause of burns was scalding, with 172 adult patients (61.4%) and 152 pediatric patients (85.8%). Mean total burn surface area of hospitalized patients was 25.34% in adult patients and 9.95% in pediatric patients. During the treatment process, only 2 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19, and burn treatments were successfully completed, with patients discharged without any problems. CONCLUSIONS: Ensuring isolation among patients in our burn center and determining protection protocols for burn center health care workers played key roles in the continuity of uninterrupted care during the pandemic period.