SELF-INFLICTED BURNS

Self-inflicted burns are regular source of admissions to burns units w orld wide. This study examines the characteristics and outcomes of tho se who deliberately burn themselves. The medical records of all patien ts admitted to the Royal Brisbane Hospital Burns Unit and identified a s having suffered a self-inflicted burn between 1990 and 1995 were rev iewed. The records of patients who doused themselves with flammable li quid between 1984 and 1995 were examined as a separate group. Of 1072 admissions there were 44 cases (4.1 per cent) of deliberately self-inf licted burns. Average age was 30 yr with nit average total burn surfac e area (TBSA) of 30 per cent (range 1-98 pet cent). Schizophrenia, dep ression and personality disorder were diagnosed in 71 per cent. Alcoho l intoxication was common in the rest. Suicide attempters were almost all male and the majority (60 per cent) were diagnosed with a major ps ychiatric illness. Self-mutilators suffered much less serious burns an d none died. Self-inflicted burns accounted for 24 per cent of burns a dmitted to the intensive care unit. Self-immolation with flammable liq uid resulted in severe burns with a 45 per cent mortality. A number of differences was demonstrated between those patients who had attempted suicide and those who had deliberately burnt themselves without suici dal attempt. Self-immolators constitute a considerable proportion of m ajor burns admitted to this unit. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd for IS BI.