Three male patients admitted to recently opened facility where only women and children were treated earlier; In the 15 days since operations commenced, the ward has admitted 10 patients, of which one minor female who had 15 per cent facial and upper body burns became the first one to be discharged on Friday
A child receiving treatment at the hospital’s burns ward on Friday. PICS/RITIKA GONDHALEKAR
Mumbai’s civic-run King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital has begun treating patients at its newly inaugurated burns ward, marking a significant expansion of burn care services in the city. In the 15 days since operations commenced, the ward has admitted 10 patients, of which one minor female who had 15 per cent facial and upper body burns became the first one to be discharged on Friday after successful treatment.
Nine others continue to receive care at the facility. “This is an important step towards inclusive and comprehensive burn care,” said Dr Vinita Puri, head of the plastic surgery department under which the ward has been started.
KEM Hospital’s burns ward that was started recently
“The ward is equipped with specialised infrastructure, infection-control measures, and trained medical staff to handle complex burn injuries,” she added. A key highlight since the ward became operational has been the admission of its first adult male patient.
“Before this dedicated burns ward was established, we were treating only children of both genders, and adult female patients. But now we are able to teat male adult patients as well. At present, three of our patients are from this category,” said Dr Puri.
Crucial development
In a situation where the public and trust hospitals such as Masina are already quite stretched and the city has been very much dependent on the National Burns Unit, establishing this ward at one of the biggest civic-run hospitals has given some relief.
Due to a lack of specialised care, it is usually observed that patients with over 30-40 per cent burns generally don’t survive at public hospitals. However, this ward at KEM has been successful in treating patients with even 80 per cent burns.
“A man came in with around 80 per cent burns. He was said to be working with a gas cylinder when it exploded. He had severe burns, and had to be put on ventilator support. However, the advanced medical treatment in this ward helped us bring him out of danger. Now, he is off the ventilator support, although still in the ICU,” Dr Puri said, adding that if timely and necessary advanced treatment hadn’t been provided the patient would have lost his life.
Additionally, the ward also has dialysis equipment available. “Often, in the cases where multiple organs of a patient are impacted, the organs begin failing instantly. Having dialysis equipment helps take care of various crucial organs such as kidneys,” Dr Puri asserted.
Ward’s first male patient
Professional photographer Pravin Haribhau Bhawari, 28, was admitted after a power bank he was carrying burst. Although he sustained burns on approximately 15 per cent of his body, doctors described the injuries as severe due to their depth and location. “The percentage of burns does not always reflect the severity of injury,” a doctor explained.
“In this case, the burns are concentrated on his hands, which are functionally critical. Recovery will be long and demanding,” explained the doctor. Doctors estimate that Bhawari will be unable to resume professional photography for at least four to five months. His treatment plan includes prolonged wound care, followed by rigorous physiotherapy even after discharge to regain mobility and strength in his hands.
Explaining what happened, Bhawari told mid-day, “I felt something was too hot. I just looked down to check and at the same time suddenly my pants caught fire. In the heat of the moment, I put both my hands in the pocket and got burnt.”
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