Conservative approach to the elderly patient with burns.

A retrospective analysis of 55 elderly patients (more than 60 years of age) was undertaken to compare results of conservative management to standard operative treatment. Thirty-one percent of the patients died early from their injury. Twenty-three patients were treated without operation, with emphasis on careful outpatient wound care and physical therapy. The remaining 15 patients required excision and grafting of burn wounds or amputation. Conservatively managed patients had fewer complications, a shorter hospital stay, and functional results equal to the operative group. These results suggest that many elderly burn patients can be managed without operation with good outcome and lessened morbidity.