Woman suffered second- and third-degree burns over more than 80% of her body in a fire. Despite doctors’ best efforts, she sadly passed away. Her body was transferred to the morgue for a forensic autopsy.
Survival in burn cases depends on several factors: the degree of burns, the percentage of the body affected, the patient’s age, overall health, and the speed and quality of medical care. Burned bodies quickly lose fluids, leading to immune system failure and high infection risk. Treatment usually involves artificial ventilation, surgical procedures, and skin grafts, which can be extremely challenging for older patients.
Doctors use the so-called Baux score as a guideline – it is calculated by adding the patient’s age to the percentage of body surface burned. A score above 100 generally indicates a very poor prognosis. For example, a 30-year-old patient with 80% burns would have a score of 110, already considered critical.
