Burn reconstruction: Severe mentosternal adhesion

Abstract

Burn injuries are severe traumatic events with a range of local and systemic repercussions. Various complications may occur in the early and late stages of burn injuries depending on the causative agent, duration of contact, degree of burn, and extent of the harm. Long after their burn scars have healed, many patients still struggle with issues related to their burn injuries. Burn scars, hypertrophic scars, keloid, contractures, heterotopic ossifications, chronic ulcerations, and marginal ulcers are late-onset complications that hurt the quality of life and result in lost productivity. Escharotomy, fasciotomy, repeated debridement, and primary wound management can lower mortality and potential complications. Complex burns should ideally be treated in specialized burn centers supervised by plastic surgeons and a multidisciplinary team of experts who treat patients holistically. This case report presents a contracture that occurred following an extensive burn to the neck, arm, and finger joints, which was successfully treated with surgery and healed without complications.

Keywords

• burn injury
• contracture
• mentosternal adhesion
• split-thickness graft