Extended time to wound closure is associated with increased risk of heterotopic ossification of the elbow

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a well-recognized complication of burn injury that can result in significantly compromised limb function. The etiology and optimal treatment strategy for HO remain elusive. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between delay in elbow wound closure and the development of HO. We performed a case-control study to examine the relationship between delay in wound closure and development of HO. Cases (HO patients) were identified using our patient registry and matched with patients of similar age, burn size, and sex who did not develop HO. Time to wound closure was compared using bivariate statistics and the odds for developing HO based on time to wound closure was modeled using multivariate logistic regression. During the study period, a total of 45 patients developed elbow HO. When compared with controls matched for age, burn size, and sex, elbow wounds were open significantly longer in the cases than in the controls (48.7 days vs 24.2 days, P < .01). On multivariate logistic regression, the adjusted odds ratio was 1.08 (95% CI 1.04-1.12, P < .01). Time to elbow wound closure significantly impacts the risk of development of heterotopic ossification. Therefore, to minimize risk of HO formation, increased attention is warranted to optimize time to wound closure over joints. In addition, consideration of other soft tissue coverage options such as local flaps, including fascia or muscle flaps, may be warranted in cases of very deep elbow buns with high risk of skin graft failure.