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Multiple Choice

According to the Rule of Nines, what TBSA does the anterior trunk represent in an adult?

The Rule of Nines is a quick way to estimate how much of the body's surface area is burned by dividing the body into sections with simple percentages. For adults, the front of the torso—the anterior trunk—together accounts for chest plus abdomen, which is 9% for the chest and 9% for the abdomen, totaling 18% of the body surface area. That’s why the anterior trunk is 18% TBSA. This differs from the entire trunk (anterior plus posterior), which would be 36%, and from regions that are each 9% (like a head/neck or an upper limb) or combinations that don’t correspond to a single standard region like 12%. The Rule of Nines is a handy, approximate guide used in initial resuscitation planning, with pediatric charts differing from adults.

The Rule of Nines is a quick way to estimate how much of the body's surface area is burned by dividing the body into sections with simple percentages. For adults, the front of the torso—the anterior trunk—together accounts for chest plus abdomen, which is 9% for the chest and 9% for the abdomen, totaling 18% of the body surface area. That’s why the anterior trunk is 18% TBSA.

This differs from the entire trunk (anterior plus posterior), which would be 36%, and from regions that are each 9% (like a head/neck or an upper limb) or combinations that don’t correspond to a single standard region like 12%. The Rule of Nines is a handy, approximate guide used in initial resuscitation planning, with pediatric charts differing from adults.