2023 Volume 49 Issue 2 Pages 67-71
We report a case of burn injury with an unfavorable outcome, as the patient's family declined for the patient to receive treatment. An 86-year-old man was brought to the hospital with flame burns. His level of consciousness was clear at the time of admission. We found burns of 16% total body surface area and a prognostic burn index of 97 on the face and both upper and lower limbs. At the time of admission, the patient and his family requested aggressive treatment. However, when we explained to them that we could not expect a functional prognosis, they refused the treatment due to the cost of nursing care. On day 12, the best supportive care policy was adopted. On day 44, the patient died. Recently published guidelines for treating burns include a section on liaison, which is expected to be applied in clinical settings. Consideration of clinical ethics by a multi-professional and multi-institutional committee is necessary.
