Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 10, 2025
Author Spotlight: A Multi-Depth Porcine Model for Comprehensive Study of Burn Injuries and Healing Processes
Published on: February 23, 2024
Non-surgical treatments for post-burn scars: A network meta-analysis
Xiaojuan Yang1,2, Rong Li2,3, Xiaorong Mao2,3
1Department of Burn and Wound Repair Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Background And Aim:
Post-burn scarring is a prevalent condition, and the existing non-surgical treatments exhibit varying degrees of efficacy. There is limited evidence available to determine the effective non-surgical treatment for post-burn scars. This study employs a multi-index network meta-analysis to conduct a comprehensive evaluation and comparative ranking of non-surgical treatments for post-burn scars. The aim is to identify the most effective treatment methods, thereby providing a robust, evidence-based foundation to guide clinical decision-making.
Methods:
PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PEDro, and Embase were systematically searched for eligible randomized controlled trial studies, and the network meta-analysis was performed via a frequentist approach. The primary outcomes assessed were Vancouver Scar Scale score, scar thickness and Visual Analogue Scale score.
Results:
A total of 17 studies and 1,013 participants were included in this analysis. The treatment ranking revealed that massage therapy demonstrated the most significant efficacy in reducing Vancouver Scar Scale score (surface under the cumulative ranking curve [SUCRA] = 89.0%), CO2 laser therapy exhibited the highest efficacy in decreasing scar thickness (SUCRA = 96.8%), and extracorporeal shock wave therapy + routine treatment showed the most significant efficacy in reducing Visual Analogue Scale score (SUCRA = 58.6%).
Conclusion:
This network meta-analysis illustrates that massage therapy, CO2 laser therapy and extracorporeal shock wave therapy + routine treatment are the most effective non-surgical treatments for reducing Vancouver Scar Scale score, scar thickness and Visual Analogue Scale score for post-burn scars, respectively. However, the findings reflect outcomes at a specific stage of scar maturation. And our conclusions must be interpreted with caution due to the limited number of studies included. In the future, well-designed randomized controlled trials with a large sample size are needed to validate these findings.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Burn Injuries
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
01:19Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells