Reconstructive surgery
CORRECTION OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF BURNS – RECONSTRUCTIVE OPTIONS
Scars caused by burns can lead to restricted movement. This is because, particularly in the area of joints, the skin can become tight after burns and lose elasticity after the healing process. In some cases, deformation can also occur, which can significantly impair freedom of movement or even make it impossible.
If burns result in noticeable scars, contractures or scar and joint stiffness after healing, our plastic reconstructive surgery can provide effective help. Corrective surgery for the consequences of burns, such as scars, is usually considered one year after the burn. If freedom of movement is restricted as a result, corrective surgery can also be performed earlier. At the ETHIANUM, we offer you an interdisciplinary team of doctors for procedures to correct the consequences of burns. Our team consists of specialists in plastic reconstructive surgery and aesthetic surgery as well as specialists in dermatology. Our plastic reconstructive surgeons and our aesthetic surgeons have worked for several years at the BG Trauma Clinic Ludwigshafen Burn Centre. For 17 years, responsibility for the ward as head physician was in the hands of the Medical Director at the ETHIANUM, Prof Dr Germann.
This competent team will work with you to determine the optimum time to correct the consequences of your burns. Thanks to their many years of experience with severely burned patients, our doctors can draw on a wealth of knowledge regarding the course of scar development, the chances of success of conventional measures and the surgical correction options for scars.
CORRECTION OPTIONS IN PLASTIC RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY
Conventional measures such as scar massages, silicone or compression can be used to correct scars after burns. However, if these measures are not sufficient to restore the desired freedom of movement and elasticity of the skin, plastic reconstructive surgery can help.
The team of doctors at the ETHIANUM uses three different methods in particular:
- Implantation of an expander: If scar tissue restricts movement, stretching the surrounding, healthy areas of skin can help. For this purpose, an expander is placed under the skin, which is gradually filled with a saline solution. This gently stretches the healthy skin so that extensive scars are replaced and mobility is restored.
- Skin grafting: In the case of severe scarring, the scar can be removed if necessary. The quality of the scar is improved by transplanting healthy skin. In some cases, the use of artificial skin in combination with autologous skin transplantation is also recommended.
- Localised or free flap plastics: In this technique, the body’s own tissue is removed and “transplanted” to the affected area. The difference to skin transplantation is that subcutaneous tissue and fatty tissue, sometimes with blood vessels, are also transplanted. This method is particularly suitable for deeper defects.
If you are looking for more information on the treatment and correction of scars, you can find our offers here.
