Q: A 30 year old patient sustains the following burns: 20% first degree (superficial) 30% second degree (partial thickness) 5% third degree (full thickness) How are these burns coded in AIS 2005?

A: The correct codes are as follows:
912002.1 for the first degree burns
912024.4 for the second and third degree burns combined.

This question highlights a change in the manner in which we are now addressing multiple burns. In the January 2008 revision of the AIS dictionary the burn rule has been restated as follows:

When burns occur in varying degrees assign an AIS code to the first degree burns separately from second and third degree burns. If second degree burns are less than 10% TBSA and/or third degree burns are < 100 cm² or > 100 cm² but < 10%, then both the second and the third degree burns get coded separately. If the combined second and third degree burns cover > 10% TBSA, assign AIS code based on their combined TBSA.

Example 1: Adult sustains 40% first degree burns, 5% second degree burns and 2% third degree burns.

Code: 912002.1 for the 1st degree burns
912006.1 for the 2nd degree burns
912008.2 for the 3rd degree burns

Example 2: Adult sustains 40% first degree burns, 15% second degree burns and 5% third degree burns.

Code: 912002.1 for the 1st degree burns
912018.3 for the combined 2nd and 3rd degree burns