SURGICAL REHABILITATION OF PATIENTS WITH POST-BURN SCAR DEFORMITY OF THE FACE AND NECK USING A FREE SKIN GRAFT

Abstract

The relevance of the problem. The issue of plasty of extensive post-burn defects of the soft tissues of the head and neck is still open. Microsurgical flaps cannot be used in cases where there are no recipient vessels for revascularization of the graft. The aim of the study is to improve the results of surgical rehabilitation of patients with post-burn scar deformity of the face and neck by applying plastic surgery with a full-layer free skin graft. Materials and methods: The study included 216 patients with post-burn scar deformity in the face and neck. In the main group – 103 patients, the proposed method of eliminating post–burn scar deformity of the face and neck was performed using a free skin graft (FSG); in the comparison group - 113 patients, various options for the use of FSG were performed according to traditional methods. The results of the study. The introduction of various options for the use of a free full-layer skin graft isolated or combined with plasty with local tissues according to an improved technique made it possible to reduce the period of wearing a flap-fixing bandage from 5.2±0.5 to 3.2± 0.4 days (t=33.80; p<0.05). Conclusion. An improved method of surgical treatment of post-burn scarring of the face and neck with a free full-layer skin flap is characterized by an improvement in the quality of the graft taken, by reducing the degree of its retraction, as well as stimulation of vascularization, reducing the risk of formation of subcutaneous fluid accumulations, excluding prolonged wearing of a pressure bandage, which generally contributes to a more physiological engraftment of transplanted tissues.