OBJECTIVES: The German society for burn care (DAV) publishes annual registry data from the 18 German centers for burn injuries in children. But care is also provided outside defined centers. Billing data from German hospitals can provide insight into the share of burns treated overall. It will be reported here with emphasis on children on the severity, and frequency of burn injuries.

METHODS: Quality reports and other billing data were evaluated. Principal diagnoses by degree of burn and main body region affected were identified.

RESULTS: In Germany, a total of 13,076 (2020: 13,405; 2015: 12,739) external body surface burns were reported as inpatient diagnoses in 2021. Of these, 6,559 (50.2%) were in patients under 18 years (2020: 6,960 (51.9%)). Children younger than 5 years in 2021 were 5,735 (43.9%) in 2020: 5,961 (44.5%); 2015: 4,335 (34.0%)). In 17,162 cases, the extent of the burn was coded, also if burn was a secondary diagnosis. Number of third-degree/second-degree burns above 90%: 5/28; 80%: 13/21; 70%: 13/27; 60%: 13/30; 50%: 11/54; 40%: 28/68; 30%: 59/154; 20%: 79/334; 10%: 255/1,646. By clinical definition, 285 burns were very severe (32 children, including 14 under 5y). Severe burns were 263 (55 children, including 36 under 5y). The cohort of children younger than 5 years accounted for 29.9% of all coded burns, 30.9% of mild, 28.1% of moderate, 13.7% of severe, and 4.9% of very severe burns.

CONCLUSIONS: The total number of patients with burn wounds treated as inpatients has remained at a similar level in recent years. However, the relative proportion of children, especially under the age of 5, has increased significantly, but not for higher grade and very severe burns. Addition of these data to the registry data would be desirable.