In the Rule of Nines for burn estimation, each upper limb (including both anterior and posterior surfaces) represents what percentage of total body surface area in an adult?

Explanation

## Upper Limb Surface Area in the Rule of Nines **Key Point:** Each upper limb (arm and forearm, including both anterior and posterior surfaces) accounts for **9%** of total body surface area in adults. ### Breakdown of Upper Limb Allocation | Component | Percentage of TBSA | | --- | --- | | Anterior surface of one upper limb | 4.5% | | Posterior surface of one upper limb | 4.5% | | **Total per upper limb** | **9%** | | Both upper limbs combined | 18% | **High-Yield:** The upper limb percentage (9% each) is **equal to the head and neck** (9%), making them easy to remember as paired regions. This is a high-frequency NEET PG question. **Clinical Pearl:** When documenting burn injuries in forensic cases, precise delineation of anterior vs. posterior surfaces is critical for legal documentation and medicolegal assessment of burn patterns. **Mnemonic:** **"9-18 Rule"** — Head 9%, Each arm 9%, Each leg 18%. The arms and head are all 9% each; the legs are double at 18%.