Management of Burn Scars: A Five-Year Retrospective Study

Introduction Despite the heightened interest in the management and prevention of burn scars, only a few articles have been published that assess the risk factors for the development of burn scars. The relationship between admission to the burn unit and the need for reconstructive surgery, the effect of the burn area on the number of further surgeries needed, and the adverse event of the technique used in the reconstructive surgery is not widely explored in the literature. These unmet challenges are crucial for a standardized consensus about burn scar management. Methods A retrospective study of patients admitted for burn reconstructive surgeries was conducted. A total of 100 patients (mean age: 29 years old) were included in this study. Data were retrospectively collected by reviewing the patients' charts. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 25.00 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Results The most common surgery performed was a release contracture with skin grafting (n = 93.93%). No significant difference was reported between the patient's age and the total number of surgeries. A significant difference was noted between the different techniques used and the total number of surgeries. Patients with release contracture surgery had higher scores of satisfaction and better functional outcome. Conclusion The most common surgery performed for scar treatment was contracture release coupled with skin grafting. The most common cause of burn in Lebanon was flame, and the most commonly affected anatomical area was the upper limb. Further studies recruiting patients from all over Lebanon and assessing their characteristics are now warranted.