Post-burn contractures or deformities are a common occurrence after the injury. They constrict the body mobility and destroy the aesthetic of the body. Therefore, reconstructive surgery is required to replace scar tissues, improve the movement and appearance of the patient.
Grade 1- Tightness felt in the body but the body’s aesthetics and mobility function normally.
Grade 2- Mild decrease in bodily movements but no significant impact on appearance or performing daily activities.
Grade 3- Body’s functionality is restricted and a few changes in the appearance.
Grade 4- Loss of body’s movement and severely distorted appearance.
Post burn deformities include contractures, hyperpigmentation, depigmentation, loss of organ or structure like lips and pinna, deformed body parts like claw hand and wrist contracture.
To improve the body’s function and the appearance of burn scars, post-burn deformities treatment is required. These treatments include:
Skin grafts: This surgical procedure involves extracting skin from other body areas and transplanting it to burn wound site. It helps to heal the wound quickly and improve the burn’s appearance.
Arthrodesis: This surgical procedure involves fusing two pieces of bone together. It’s used to treat deformities in the elbow or knee.
Skin flaps: This surgical procedure involves extracting skin and tissue from other body areas and transplanting it to burn wound site. It aids in healing and improves the cosmetic appearance of the wound site.
Splinting: Use of splints keep the joints intact and prevents further deformities from occurring.
Physiotherapy: It helps to improve movement in muscles and joints, and enables the patients to resume their daily activities.
Post-burn deformities treatment involves risks like probability of infection at the wound site, numbness, and bleeding.
To prevent post-burn contractures, wear a splint on the joint to keep them straight. Wear it on top of the pressure garment. Daily perform Range of motion (ROM) exercises to keep the muscles and joints flexible.
Our specialized team of burnt specialists, occupational therapists, nutritionists, and medical staff provide personalized care, cosmetic surgery, and holistic healing for post-burn contractures.
After surgically removing the scar, the wound site is recreated by covering the wound with skin grafts or a skin flap surgery.
Depending on the severity of the burn, contractures are segregated into mild, moderate, and severe. Further, based on the scar type, it can be classified into linear, band, or broad types.
Physical and occupational therapies are used to treat post-burn contractures after the surgery. They help to improve muscle strength and movement in the body.
Depending on the severity of the post-burn contractures, recovery time is between 4 – 12 weeks.
Post-burn deformities treatment improves the physical appearance of the burnt site and improves the mobility of limbs for the patient to resume their daily activities.
We provide effective surgical and non-surgical treatments for all parts of the body. At Cutis Hospital, our cosmetic and plastic surgery team is committed to giving patients safe and high-quality care.
