[The treatment and rehabilitation of high-voltage electric burns]

High-voltage electric burns is refractory with high rate of amputation (46%) in early stage and unfavorable functional recovery in later stage. Little breakthrough has so far been made in this respect. From Jan. 1985 to Jan. 1996, ninety-six cases with high-voltage burns were treated in our department. Seventy-one cases of various tissue flap grafting were applied to treat early electric burns, among which sixty-four cases were successful. The amputation rate was reduced to 30%. Postoperatively, a long-term rehabilitation training at home was carried out. Most of them achieved a good appearance of the wounded sites and limbs and satisfactory ability to work or self-care. It was suggested that early thorough debridement of necrosis tissue, careful reservation of living tissue, appropriate choice of tissue flap and postoperative rehabilitation training were of great importance to achieve a good prognosis.