Z-Plasty for Release of Postburn Finger Contractures in Pediatric Patients

Abstract

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Finger contractures after burn injuries remain significant problems in pediatric patients. The severity of the contracture increases with age. In this study, we describe the technical details and importance of contracture treatment with Z-plasty in patients with finger contractures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this study, we included 48 patients younger than 18 years of age who developed finger contractures after burn injuries. All patients had restricted finger movements because of contracture, and all patients received single or multiple surgeries with the Z-plasty technique. We did not include patients who could not be followed up for more than 1 year.

RESULTS: Complete recovery was observed in all 48 patients with daily dressing. We did not observe any infections, hematomas, suture separations, or total necrosis in any of the patients. We provided full-thickness skin grafts to 8 patients (16.7%). Seven patients (14.6%) developed superficial necrosis in the distal end of the flaps. None of the patients required additional surgical interventions.

CONCLUSIONS: The Z-plasty technique has an important place in the treatment of burn contractures. Simple and rapid recovery can be achieved with a single or with multiple z-plasty surgeries both in complicated cases, which have functional limitations, and in simple cases.