What percentage of body surface area is burned for a 21-year-old male who burned his neck and down to his ankles after falling asleep by the pool for 5 hours?

To determine the percentage of body surface area that is burned, we can refer to the "Rule of Nines," a commonly used method in the medical field for estimating the extent of burns in adults. This rule divides the body into sections, each representing approximately 9% (or a multiple thereof) of total body surface area.

For this scenario, the individual burned his neck down to his ankles. Considering the anatomical divisions outlined in the "Rule of Nines":

• The head and neck account for approximately 9% of the body surface area.
• Each arm accounts for about 9%, but in this case, the arms are not mentioned as being burned.
• The front and back of the torso each account for approximately 18%, but they are also not specified in the burn area.
• The legs account for 18% each; thus, the total for both legs would be 36%.

In total, since only the neck and both legs are burned, we combine the 9% for the neck (head and neck area) with the 36% for both legs. This results in a total of 45% burned body surface area.

Therefore, the correct option, reflecting the total body surface area percentage burned, is indeed