• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.68-72
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• 1998

With the advent of microvascular free-tissue transfer, this single stage resurfacing method for large scar and soft tissue defects around the wrist in the patients of electrical burn has distinctive advantage over the conventional multistage pedicle-flap transfer. Between 1992 and 1996, we treated 9 cases of 8 patients who had large scar around the wrist due to old electrical burn with free flaps as a preparation of staged tendon graft. Mean age was 30.3 years and average scar area was $6{\times}11cm$. The length of time the injury and free flaps was 9 months on an average. Prior to the free flap, we performed the angiography to all patients in order to evaluate the circulation of the forearm and hand and to choose the recipient vessel. In all cases, proximal ulnar arteries in the forearm remained intact and all radial arteries remained intact in 8 of 9 cases on angiogram. The interosseous arteries were well visualized in all cases. We used the ulnar arteries as a recipient artery. The types of flaps used were f scapular cutaneous flaps, 2 dorsalis pedis flaps and a radial forearm flap. Flap survial was 100 percents with satisfactory functional and cosmetic results. Free flaps using ulnar artery as a recipient artery is one of the useful reconstruction methods for the resurfacing of large scar around the wrist in the patients of old electrical burn.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.89-92
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• 2011

Purpose: Electrical burn of scalp is uncommon. Much more, chronically exposed dura in unstable burn scar is quite exceptional. Hence, we report a case of chronically exposed dura following electrical burn. Methods: A 63-year-old man presented with an about 40 years history of an ulcerative lesion arising from electrical burn scar with 'squeeze like sensation' around wound. Wound was about $6{\times}8$ cm. Area in the center was $3{\times}3$ cm nonviable dura without sequestrum. Tangential excision with an intraoperative neurosurgical consultation and transposition flap under general anesthesia was done. Intraoperative biopsy was done. The wound was diagnosed as chronic osteomyelitis, not Marjolin ulcer. Flap was taken successfully. But after 5 days, infectious discharge had been appeared during 2 weeks, despite irrigation and drainage. As flap was re-evaluated, we could see remnant necrotic dura. After that, latissimus dorsi muscle free flap with meshed split thickness skin graft was transferred without excision of necrotic dura. Results: Flap was taken successfully. Follow-up at 10 weeks has been uneventful, with good and stable coverage of the wound. Conclusion: It is true that complete excision of devitalized tissue with sagittal sinus obliteration is prerequisite to flap taken. But necrotic dura was tangentially excised instead of total dura excision, because, posterior two-thirds of the sagittal sinus was involved underneath. Muscle is rich in blood vessels and decrease the recipient-site bacterial count effectively. In this case, muscle flap with skin graft without total dura excision is an alternative treatment.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.445-450
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• 2011

Purpose: The objective of this study is to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of pediatric burn patients and to determine the targets for a pediatric burn prevention program. Methods: A retrospective review of all medical records of acute pediatric burn patients (age < 15 years old) admitted to our hospital between January 2005 and December 2009 was performed. Results: 1472 males and 1323 females were investigated, with a male to female ratio of 1.11 : 1. The greatest number of burn patients were those with an age of 1~2 years (1,463, 52.3%). Scalding burn was the most common cause of injury, which accounted for 2183 (78.1%) patients, followed by contact burns (10.5%), flame burn (4.9%), steam burn (3.6%). Especially steam burn was the second cause of injury in the age under 1 year, while flame burn was the second cause of injury in the age over 7 years. During recent 5 years, incidence of flame burn, steam burn, electrical burn gradually decreased. Variation of seasonal incidence is minimal and most of the patients (2,716 cases, 97.2%) had burns less than 20% TBSA (Total body surface area). The median hospital stay was 18.79 days, and the rate of operation was 28.6% with a high rate in electrical burn (76.2%), flame burn (50.0%), steam burn (46.1%). 6 patients died in this series, which yielded a mortality rate of 0.2%. Conclusion: Prevention efforts should reflect recent study results. Focused prevention program and campaign to make people aware of risk factors and their avoidance is required to reduce the number of burn accidents in children.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.238-244
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• 1988

This study was conducted to investigate the causes of burn and emergency cares taken on the spot for the burn patient. Study population included 161 burn patients admitted to 2 university hospitals and 1 general hospital in Taegu from November 1, 1987 to April 30, 1988. Patients or guardians were interviewed with a structured questionnare. Out of 161 burn patients 111(68.9%)were males and 50(31.1%) females. Preschool children of 1-4 years old accounted for 29.8% of the total patients. Burns of children under 15 years of age took place at home in 91.0%, while 48.3% of burns of adult (15 years and over)males occurred at the working place, and 68.0% of adult females occurred at the home. Out of total burns occurred at home 39.8% took place at kitchen/dining room and 24.1% in the room. The most common cause of burns in children was the boiling water or hot food (74.3%). In adults the common causes were electrical burn(22.4%), hot water or food(19.0%) and explosion(12.1%) for males, and hot water or food(32.0%) and explosion (20.0%) for females. Common emergency cares for the burn taken on the spot were undressing(64.6%), pouring Soju(liquor)(13.7%), and pouring cold water(5.0%). There were a few cases who applied ash, soy or salt. To prevent burn, it is recommended to remodel the traditional kitchen and coal-briquet hole, to strengthen the safety control of LP Gas and LN Gas supply, to educate the public for the handling method for such gases, to strengthen the occupational safety control, to improve the safety device for the electric wire and socket, and to limit the temperature of hot water at home and public baths.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.14-23
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• 2004

Introduction: The hand and wrist are particularly susceptible to electrical burn. Skin defect with damage or exposure of underlying vital structure requires coverage by skin flap especially in case of the need for late reconstruction. We are reporting 4 cases of electrical burned hand treated by posterior tibial arterial free flap. The commonly used skin flaps such as scapular flap or groin flap are too bulky so that they are not satisfactory in function and cosmetic appearance. So we tried to cover them with a more thin skin flap. Materials and Method: From January 2002 to June 2003, four cases of hand and wrist electrical burn were covered using posterior tibial arterial free flap. All the cases were due to high voltage electrical burn. Age ranged from 31 years to 38 years old and all the cases were male patients. Recipient sites were 2 wrist, one thenar area and one knuckle of 2.3rd MP joint. Additional procedures were flexor tenolysis (simultaneous), FPL tenolysis and digital nerve graft (later) and extensor tendon reconstruction (later). Result: All the flap have survived totally without any complication including circulatory concern about the donar foot. Posterior tibail arterial free flap was so thin that debulking procedure was not required. Conclusion: For skin coverage of the hand & wrist region, posterior tibial arterial free flap have many advantages such as reliable anatomy, easy dissection and easy anastmosis with radial or ulnar artery and possibility of sensory flap. The most helpful advantage for hand coverage is its thinness. So we think this flap is one of the very useful armamentarium for reconstructive hand surgery.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.380-383
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• 2006

Tetanus is rare in Korea due to the introduction of vaccination programs and the advancement in public health. Its common signs are trismus, voice disturbance, neck stiffness, and difficulty in swallowing, etc. A 56 years old man was injured by grasping a high voltage electric cable. After the accident, he fell down on a steel plate and had a head trauma. When he visited Emergency Department, there was multiple electric burn wound on left arm and left facial area. He was hospitalized on a department of neurosurgery, because intra cranial hemorrhage was presumed. 12 days later, he was referred to department of OMFS with developed painful masseter spasms and trismus. That night he violently bit his tongue with his denture. Because masseter muscle and temporal muscle constriction was involuntary, tongue was lacerated and denture was distorted. At first we supposed that the symptom was related with neurologic disturbance following head trauma or electric shock. But it was revealed that trismus was caused by tetanus on an electrophysiological test. By using mechanical ventilation and administration of tetanus immunoglobulin, muscle-relaxant, and sedatives at ICU, symptoms had subsided (4-weeks). Because tetanus is rare disease, we rarely suppose tetanus infection to be a cause of a trismus. Especially it is more difficult to diagnose in patient who has head trauma, burn and neurologic problem as in this case.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.315-324
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• 2023

Hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease (SCD) are traditionally considered a relative contraindication to free tissue transfer, due to concerns that erythrocyte sickling will increase the risk of microvascular thrombosis and flap failure. This article describes a case report with the successful use of free tissue transfer in a patient with SCD and provides a systematic literature review on free tissue transfer in SCD. A retrospective chart review was performed of a patient with SCD who underwent free tissue transfer at the authors' institution. A systematic literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was performed using the keywords "free tissue transfer," "free flap," or "microsurgery" and "sickle cell" on PubMed, Ovid/Medline, and Scopus. A 29-year-old male with delayed presentation of an electrical burn to the face and scalp underwent wound closure with a free anterolateral thigh flap. Key management principles included red blood cell transfusion to keep hemoglobin S under 30% and hemoglobin greater than 10 g/dL, maintenance of hydration, normothermia, adequate analgesia, and postoperative anticoagulation. Systematic literature review identified 7 articles describing 13 cases of free tissue transfer in 10 patients with SCD, with combined complete free flap success in 10 of the 13 flaps. Free tissue transfer can be successfully performed in patients with SCD. However, evidence on the optimal management of this unique patient population in the perioperative period after free tissue transfer is limited to case reports in the literature.