Zydus Hospital Burn Unit Treats 300 Severe Cases with 90% Survival

Infection and fluid pooling are the two leading causes of graft failure, according to the hospital. A tightly controlled isolation setup at Zydus helped reduce both risks. Central line insertions are replaced weekly, and blood transfusions become a recurring need as burn size increases. Albumin is used to manage fluid shifts and swelling.

Pediatric burn cases bring their own urgency. A 3-year-old girl who fell into hot water sustained burns across 30% of her body and spent 10 days in the pediatric ICU before moving to the ward. Dr. Girish also cited a pregnant woman with six-month amenorrhea and 60% burns, whom the team treated successfully. "We could save her and her baby, and they both are doing really well," he said.

A significant share of the patients arriving at Zydus need electrical or chemical burn treatment, driven by Gujarat's industrial and chemical manufacturing base. Electrical burns are especially deceptive: surface damage often looks minor, while the real injury runs deep along the current's path. High-voltage current can cause severe internal swelling that cuts off blood flow to muscles, and severe muscle injury may lead to acute kidney injury. These cases require collaboration between critical care physicians, nephrologists, and surgeons. Upper airway burns from smoke inhalation may present as only 5–10% burns but can cause respiratory failure. Intubation is technically demanding and handled only by experienced physicians working with the anaesthesia team.

The team – including Dr. Jalpa Mehta and Dr. Priyanshu Makwana – has treated tens of thousands of burn patients. The hospital's burn unit has established a multidisciplinary approach that includes intensivists, pain management specialists, physiotherapists, and psychologists. Rehabilitation continues long after wounds heal.