Burns of the head and neck – from physiological to psychological impact

Abstract

Burn injuries have a long-term negative impact on patients, families, and healthcare systems, and prevention remains the primary goal. Head and neck lesions have a reported prevalence between 6-65.6%, sometimes even 95.1%. There are various risk factors and predictors of facial burns, like younger age, male sex, flame or flash burns, and work-related injuries. Surgical and non-surgical management is chosen depending on the burn type and extension, and the patients’ previous health status. Tangential necrosectomy is the gold standard of third-degree burn care. In the last years, enzymatic debridement showed promising results. Long-term complications, from altered sensibility, and face motor dysfunction, to hypertrophic scarring and mutilating aspects, frequently lead to depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, and social exclusion. To improve patients’ quality of life, various programs targeting reconstructive surgeries with cosmetic purposes, social skill training, and cognitive behavioural therapies should be implemented.

Keywords

• head burns
• neck burns
• severe contracture
• disfigurement
• tangential necrosectomy
• impaired quality of life
• ptsd