Reconstruction of large electric contact burn defects of the neck in a tertiary burn center – A case series
Background: Electricity dictates modern life. High-voltage (>1000 volts) electrical burns are fatal when the contact site is a vital body part such as the neck, which may occur due to open high-tension wires, which is common in developing countries. The contact burns in the neck may result in the...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Indian Journal of Burns |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ijb.ijb_8_24 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Background:
Electricity dictates modern life. High-voltage (>1000 volts) electrical burns are fatal when the contact site is a vital body part such as the neck, which may occur due to open high-tension wires, which is common in developing countries. The contact burns in the neck may result in the exposure of vessels, trachea, cervical spine, or any other important structures.
Materials and Methods:
This was a retrospective descriptive study carried out in a tertiary burns center from November 2020 to March 2023. Five patients with electric contact burns in the neck were included in the study. All patients were resuscitated as per the department protocol. Regular assessment of wounds was done, and patients were managed with intravenous fluids, antibiotics and daily dressings. Investigations deemed necessary as per the standard of care in electric burn injuries were done. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging neck or contrast-enhanced computed tomography neck was undertaken to assess the underlying vital structures. Flap coverage for neck defects was done with either deltopectoral (DP) or pectoralis major myocutaneous (PMMC) flaps.
Results:
Out of five patients, three patients underwent reconstruction using PMMC flap and in two patients, the reconstruction of neck was done using DP flap. In one patient, there was necrosis of the distal edge of the PMMC flap, which was managed with debridement and resuturing and there was minor skin graft loss. All other flaps settled well.
Conclusion:
The workhorse PMMC flap and DP flaps are consistent and reliable in managing the large soft-tissue defects following high voltage electric contact burns of the neck. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0971-653X |