The rule of 9 in body burns is very useful to calculate the percentage of the body that is affected and thus be able to initiate adequate fluid replacement . Learn more about her below.
Burns are injuries to the skin or other organs caused by physical, chemical or biological agents that cause the destruction of cells. The rule of 9 is a way of classifying body burns; It is used to assess the severity and extent of the injury.
The most common cause of burns is not fire, but contact with hot water and steam. According to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), scalds occur in up to 58% of burn patients.
The treatment of patients with this type of injury is not easy, due to the many complications that can occur. For this reason, doctors use different classifications in which the extent and depth of burns are evaluated.
What is the rule of 9?
One of the classifications of burns best known by the general population is the one that divides them into 3 different degrees, according to their depth. In medical practice, this division must be complemented with other variables that influence severity, which is why the rule of 9 or Wallace’s rule appeared .
It is a way of classifying burns according to the percentage of affected body surface. Generally speaking, it will divide the body into different portions; each one will have a value of 9% or will be a multiple of 9.
The authors of this rule were Pulaski and Tennison in 1947. However, Wallace published it in 1951, which is why it is named after him.
To determine the extent of the burns, the affected surface should be observed and an approximate calculation of it. Despite not being a precision method, it is used in hospitals around the world and is essential to establish treatment during the first hours.
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