A review of the reconstructive surgery needs of 3167 survivors of burn injury.

A retrospective review of all patients admitted for acute care over the past 15 years was undertaken to identify readmission for reconstructive surgery. Of 3167 survivors 629 or 19.9 per cent were readmitted for at least one reconstructive procedure. Those patients requiring readmission for reconstructive surgery were younger and had larger total body surface burns compared to the group that were not readmitted for reconstructive surgery. The percentage of patients now being readmitted for reconstructive surgery is decreasing significantly and covers all size burns. The most common area of reconstruction, by frequency, involved the hand and wrist, arm and forearm, face, and neck. These data indicate that the goal of reducing the incidence of burn scar contractures in this patient population is being achieved. However, further work needs to be done to reduce the frequency of reconstructive surgery and to identify those variables which predispose patients to burn scar contractures which are amenable to intervention.