Bangers, burgers and burns. A 10-year review of barbeque burns in South Wales.

This is a retrospective study of the epidemiology of barbeque burns presenting to the Welsh Centre for burns from January 1994 to December 2004. A total of 68 were treated of which 57 are included in this study 25% are in the paediatric age group. The epidemiology varies between adults and paediatrics. Males are the most commonly injured in both groups. The paediatric group have a different aetiology compared with the adult group. All paediatric barbeque burns were caused by direct contact with either the barbeque or hot sand. This compares to the adult group, where 51% were caused by flash burns and only 40% were contact burns. Sixty-one percent of the paediatric group were burnt from low lying disposable barbeques compared to only 5% of adults. The hands were the most common sites of burn for adults (28%) compared to the feet in the paediatric group (36%). Barbeque burns in children seem to be increasing in the United Kingdom and we suspect that disposable barbeques are the causal factor as they are readily available, low-lying and cheap. We suggest preventative measures for such burns.