A burn that extends through subcutaneous tissue into fascia, muscle, and bone is classified as which degree?

• A. First degree
• B. Second degree
• C. Third degree
• D. Fourth degree

Answer: (D)

Burn depth grading tracks how far tissue is damaged by a burn. As the burn gets deeper, it crosses from skin into underlying layers. A burn that extends through subcutaneous tissue into fascia, muscle, and bone goes beyond the skin and deep soft tissues, which is classified as a fourth-degree burn. This depth means the injury involves deep structures and often requires surgical management and reconstruction. For reference, first-degree affects only the epidermis, second-degree reaches part of the dermis with blisters, and third-degree is full thickness through the dermis into deeper tissues but typically not into muscle or bone. The involvement of fascia, muscle, and bone specifically defines the fourth degree.