Burn Injury Classification | Medicalalgorithms.com

The American Burn Association classified the severity of burn injury in 1976.

Minor Burn Injury	Moderate Uncomplicated Burn Injury	Major Burn Injury (Complicated)
second degree burn < 15% BSA in adult	second degree burn 15-25% BSA in adult	second degree burn > 25% BSA in adult
second degree burn < 10% BSA in child	second degree burn 10-20% BSA in child	second degree burn > 20% BSA in child
third degree burn < 2% BSA AND not special care area	third degree burn 2 - 9% BSA AND not special care area	third degree burn >= 10% BSA
		third degree burn involving special care area
		second or third degree burn in poor risk patient
		special type of burn

where:

• BSA = body surface area

• I am using < 16 and >= 16 years of age to separate child and adult.

• I am using <= 2 years of age for very young and >= 70 years as very old.

A patient with minor burn injury can be managed as an outpatient.

Special care areas:

(1) hands

(2) feet

(3) face

(4) eyes

(5) ears

(6) perineum

Poor risk patients:

(1) very young

(2) very old

(3) significant comorbid disease

Special type of burn:

(1) significant inhalation injury

(2) electrical injury

(3) mixed injury (burn and/or fracture and/or major injury)

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Extent of Burn Injury Classification