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Published on: February 23, 2024
Effectiveness of basic fibroblast growth factor for pediatric hand burns
Kenji Hayashida1, Masaki Fujioka2, Shin Morooka2
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National Nagasaki Medical Center, Japan; Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Japan.
Insights
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) treatment effectively healed pediatric palmar burns within 21 days. This approach reduced scar contractures and hypertrophic scars, offering a less invasive, more aesthetically favorable outcome.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative medicine
- Pediatric burn care
- Wound healing research
Background:
- Pediatric hand burns can cause significant deformity and functional impairment.
- Current guidelines for growth factor use in pediatric hand burns are lacking.
- Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is an angiogenic and regenerative growth factor with potential therapeutic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in treating pediatric palmar burns.
- To evaluate bFGF's impact on wound healing time, scar formation, and functional outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A consecutive series of pediatric patients (under 3 years) with second or third-degree palmar burns were included.
- Treatment with bFGF commenced immediately post-injury and continued for up to 21 days.
- Scar assessment using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) was performed at 6 months post-healing.
Main Results:
- Out of 49 acute palmar burns in 34 children, 43 wounds healed within 21 days.
- Wounds healing within 21 days showed significantly better pigmentation, pliability, and height (p < 0.05) via VSS.
- No additional surgery was required for wounds healing within 21 days; these also avoided scar contractures and hypertrophic scars.
Conclusions:
- Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) treatment is effective for pediatric palmar burns healing within 21 days.
- bFGF application helps prevent scar contractures and hypertrophic scars.
- This bFGF-based wound healing method is less invasive and yields superior results in pediatric palmar burn cases.
Aim Of The Study:
Pediatric hand deep dermal and deep burns may lead to serious hand deformity with functional impairment and result in an esthetically unfavorable outcome. Since there is no guideline regarding the use of growth factors for pediatric hand burns, we sought to investigate the effectiveness of an angiogenic and regenerative growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).
Methods:
Consecutive series of second degree or third degree palmer burns at less than 3 years of age seen from January 2010 to June 2014 were included for evaluation at 6 months post-wound healing. The bFGF treatment started from just after injury and continued up to 21 days. Each patient had their scars scored using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) at 6 months after wound healing.
Results:
There were 34 children with 49 acute palmar burns. The mean healing period was 13.5 ± 4.3 days (7-44 days) and 43 wounds healed within 21 days. There was no need of additional surgery in the 43 wounds, healed within 21 days. In comparison to the wounds for which healing took more than 21 days, the wounds that healed within 21 days demonstrated significantly better pigmentation, pliability, and height according to the VSS (p < 0.05), as well as no scar contracture or hypertrophic scars.
Conclusion:
bFGF treatment was effective in cases that healed within 21 days, avoiding scar contractures and hypertrophic scars. Our methods using bFGF to complete wound healing are less invasive and produce better results in pediatric palmer burns.
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