ORIGINAL PAPER Epidemiology of pediatric burn injuries in Kosovo Hysni M. Arifi 1 & Shkelzen B. Duci 1 & Zejn A. Buja 1 & Violeta K. Zatriqi 1 & Havushe I. Ramadani 1 & Ngadhnjim H. Arifi 1 & Hasan R. Ahmeti 2 Received: 22 June 2016 /Accepted: 10 October 2016 /Published online: 9 November 2016 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016 Abstract Background Burns are the third most common cause of mor- tality in children and adolescents. Many burns that occur in the first two decades of life are accidental and preventable. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of burn-related injuries in children up to 15 years old in Kosovo. Methods This was a retrospective study that included 628 patients with burns, younger than 15 years old who were ad- mitted to the Clinic of Plastic Surgery, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2015. The patients were categorized into three age groups: 0–3, 4–7, and 8–15 years old. Data on the gender, age, cause, burn size and depth, duration of hospitalization, and treatment were collected and analyzed. Results During the study period, in our population, burns in children were predominantly in boys with 374 cases (59.6 %), while 254 patients were girls (40.4 %). Scalding was the most common type of burn with 566 cases or 90.2%.The median TBSA burned was 18.8% with a range of 1–70%. Duration of treatment ranged from 0 to 81 days. The mean hospitalization was 32.2 days. Conclusions A high rate of childhood burns in Kosovo re- quires hospital admissions and prolonged hospital stays. To reduce pediatric burns in Kosovo, a burn-prevention strategy and program should be developed. Level of Evidence: Level IV, risk / prognostic study Keywords Burns . Injury . Pediatric . Retrospective Introduction Burns are the third most common cause of mortality in chil- dren and adolescents [1]. Many burns that occur in the first two decades of life are accidental and preventable. However, severe burn is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children, and burns are the major cause of injury-related death in this group [2]. Nevertheless, neither children nor their par- ents are usually aware of the serious consequences of burns. In fact, most are not aware that burns may result in death [3, 4]. Despite the survival of patients with major burns, the poor prognosis of burn victims is related to scar contracture, defor- mities, and functional limitations that hinder their daily activ- ities. Epidemiological data on childhood burns provide vital information for developing strategies aimed at reducing the frequency of burns [5]. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiol- ogy of burn-related injuries in children up to 15 years old in Kosovo, incidence and cause of burns, burn size in terms of percentage of total body surface area (TBSA), depth of inju- ries, methods of treatment, and duration of hospitalization. Materials and methods This was a retrospective study that included 628 patients with burns, younger than 15 years old, who were admitted to the Clinic of Plastic Surgery, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2015. Data on the gender, age, cause, burn size (TBSA), depth of injuries, dura- tion of hospitalization, and treatment of burn-related injuries were collected and analyzed from the medical records. * Hasan R. Ahmeti hasanahmeti@yahoo.com 1 Clinic of Plastic Surgery, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Prishtina, Albania 2 Clinic of Pediatric Surgery, University Clinical Center of Prishtina, Kosovo, Prishtina, Albania Eur J Plast Surg (2017) 40:123–126 DOI 10.1007/s00238-016-1251-1