[Treatment of postburn cicatricial deformations and contractures of the neck]

Postburn cicatrices and contractures of the neck have been corrected in 130 patients by the routine methods (Z plasty, free transplantation of the skin, combined methods). Analysis of the late results has shown that contractures have been eliminated or reduced in 70% of the patients, but a good cosmetic effect has been achieved in only 30%. In 75 patients plasty of the postburn cicatricial deformations of the neck has been made with the use of dermo-fascial flaps of the intact skin of the thoracic wall. This technique developed by the authors has completely removed the contracture, and the shape of the neck has remained unchanged: a full-value natural skin integument has been created on the anterior and lateral surface of the neck. Complications (marginal necrosis of the transplanted flaps), recorded in 10% of the patients, have not much influenced the out-come of surgery.