Contractures after burns: some observations from a 3-year review in Zimbabwe

A retrospective study is presented of 53 consecutive patients (25 men, 28 women) with contractures following burns admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital between August 1988 and August 1991. Of the total, 85% were aged 12 years or less. Most of the patients (75%) came from rural areas and in 67% of cases where the nature of the burning agent was known, the burn resulted from an open fire. The site most commonly affected was the hand (51% of cases). Most of the contractures were released either by cross cutting and split skin grafting, or by using some form of flap. No major complications were encountered apart from a few minor wound infections which settled down on antibiotics and dressings. To reduce the incidence of contractures in our practice it is important to educate the rural community about the dangers of open fires especially to children. Rural health personnel should be encouraged to consider early referral of patients with burns likely to lead to contracture formation.