Oral commissure burns in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric surgery
• Burn management
• Oral and maxillofacial surgery

Background:

• Electrical burns of the mouth are common in young children.
• Optimal early intervention strategies for oral commissure burns are debated.
• Long-term outcomes and scar maturation influence treatment decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term outcomes of conservative management for oral commissure electrical burns in children.
• To assess the incidence of complications such as hemorrhage during eschar separation.
• To determine the effectiveness of delayed reconstructive surgery for functional and aesthetic restoration.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective chart review of 24 pediatric patients with oral commissure burns treated between 1975 and 1988.
• Analysis of treatment strategies, focusing on conservative management without early splinting or surgery.
• Long-term follow-up (5-17 years) to assess postburn scars, facial growth, and functional/aesthetic results.

Main Results:

• Younger children with more severe burns had less favorable outcomes.
• No significant hemorrhage was observed during the acute phase or at eschar separation.
• Conservative treatment, with delayed reconstructive surgery and occasional steroid injections, led to successful functional and aesthetic results after scar maturation.

Conclusions:

• Conservative management of pediatric oral electrical burns is a viable approach.
• Delayed reconstructive surgery, after scar maturation, can effectively address functional and aesthetic impairments.
• Severity and age are critical factors influencing the prognosis of oral electrical burns in children.