Using the rule of nines, what percentage of body surface area does a patient with burns on their face, right upper extremity, and right anterior trunk cover?

The rule of nines is a method used to assess the total body surface area (TBSA) affected by burns in adults by dividing the body into sections, each representing approximately 9% (or multiples thereof) of the total body surface area.

In adults, the face accounts for 4.5%, the anterior trunk encompasses 18%, and each upper extremity (including the right upper extremity in this case) is 9%. Therefore, to calculate the percentage of body surface area affected:

1. Face: 4.5%

2. Right upper extremity: 9%

3. Right anterior trunk: 18%

When we add these percentages together, the total body surface area affected by burns in this patient is 4.5% + 9% + 18% = 31.5%. However, recognizing that the percentage for the trunk could be misunderstood to encompass only part of it leads to a possible miscalculation. The anterior trunk is indeed assessed as 18%, leading to confusion with the distribution of burn percentages.

In dissecting the total affected area correctly and adjusting for how burns are typically assessed in practice, the total is more manageable to understand as a consolidated number. Thus, the combined area