A burn with full-thickness burns 2-10% TBSA and partial-thickness burns 15-30% TBSA would be categorized as which severity?

• A. Severe burn injuries
• B. Minor burn injuries
• C. Not classified
• D. Moderate burn injuries

Answer: (D)

Severity is gauged by how much tissue is burned (TBSA) and how deep the burns go. You determine TBSA by adding the areas of full-thickness (third-degree) burns and partial-thickness (second-degree) burns. Here, full-thickness burns account for 2–10% and partial-thickness burns account for 15–30%, so the total TBSA ranges from 17% to 40%. Most EMS classifications place minor burns as under about 15% TBSA in adults, moderate burns roughly in the 15–30% range, and severe burns over about 30% TBSA or with other concerning factors. Since this scenario starts above minor but the typical case falls into the 15–30% band rather than consistently exceeding 30%, it’s categorized as moderate burn injuries. If other factors like inhalation injury or critical locations were present, the case could be pushed toward severe, but with the information given, moderate is the best fit.