Microsurgery in Burns

Abstract

Early removal of burned tissue and skin grafting remains the most effective procedure for most burn patients. However, microsurgical free tissue transfer could be the ideal solution for wound coverage of complex defects in the burn patient, allowing for the preservation of deep burn injuries that would otherwise be insurmountable in a single-stage procedure. Although microsurgery is in increasing use, its use for the reconstruction of primary burns is not very frequent since it presents different types of additional challenges in this environment; because burn patients are prone to developing metabolic imbalances and a systemic inflammatory response that can compromise the free flap. However, as microsurgery has become more widespread, free flaps have been increasingly used in acute burn reconstruction as a means of preserving deep burn injuries that could not otherwise be salvaged with exposure of tendons, nerves, vessels, bones and/or joints after excision of the burn.