Division of overall duration of stay into operative stay and postoperative stay improves the overall estimate as a measure of quality of outcome in burn care.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:Surgically managed burn patients admitted between 2010-14 were included. Operative stay was defined as the time from admission until the last operation, postoperative stay as the time from the last operation until discharge. The difference in variation was analysed with F-test. A retrospective review of medical records was done to explore reasons for extended postoperative stay. Multivariable regression was used to assess factors associated with operative stay and postoperative stay. RESULTS:Operative stay/TBSA% showed less variation than total duration/TBSA% (F test = 2.38, p