Effectiveness of Paraffin and Sustained Stretch in Treatment of Shoulder Contractures Following a Burn Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine if range of motion of the shoulder treated with paraffin will be better than that of the shoulder treated with sustained stretch alone. DESIGN: Pilot randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Regional burn center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=23) who sustained a burn injury, with a shoulder active abduction and/or flexion in the +70° to +150° degree range, who were 14 years or older, were receiving follow-up physical therapy after discharge from hospital, and provided a signed consent to participate. INTERVENTIONS: Group A received sustained stretch and paraffin, and group B received sustained stretch only. Both groups had 6 sessions of treatment over 2 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Active range of motion (AROM) and active-assisted range of motion (AAROM) for shoulder flexion (SF) and shoulder abduction (SA) were measured before and after each treatment session. RESULTS: For pretreatment measurements, only the results for SF AAROM had significant time effects. For posttreatment measurements, SF AROM and SF AAROM had significant effects for time. Session 1 was significantly lower than sessions 2, 3, 4, and 6 for both measures, and additionally, session 1 was significantly lower than session 5 for SF AAROM. For SA AROM, a group-by-time interaction effect was significant, with scores for the paraffin group relatively stable across sessions, and the nonparaffin group had peaks at sessions 3 and 6. There were no significant effects for (1) within-session changes to examine improvement during a session or (2) presession scores across the 6 sessions showing maintenance of motion. Total change from the first session presession measurement to the sixth session postsession measurement for the 2 treatment groups were nonsignificantly different. CONCLUSIONS: As shown in this study, sustained stretching with paraffin may be a valuable adjunct to range of motion intervention for the shoulder after burn injury.

Outcomes after deep full-thickness hand burns.

OBJECTIVE: To measure hand-specific functional performance after deep full-thickness dorsal hand burns. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. SETTING: The 2005 Phoenix Society's World Burn Congress, Baltimore, MD. PARTICIPANTS: Volunteer sample of burn survivors (N=32) with full-thickness dorsal hand burns with extensor mechanism involvement, who consented to participate. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total active motion of joints, Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), and Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ). RESULTS: Subjects had large burns (mean percentage total body surface area, 58%). Digit involvement was severe, with more than 50% having amputations and 22% with a boutonnière deformity. Forty percent of subjects had poor functional range with total active motion of less than 180 degrees . Scores on the JTHFT were lower than normative scores, and subjects reported most difficulty in performing MHQ activities of daily living (ADLs). CONCLUSIONS: Even with partial amputation or loss of extensor mechanisms, the intact flexor muscles facilitate function by allowing for a modified grasp and enable patients to be independent in most ADL tasks. Training programs can be developed to meet specific goals despite residual hand deformities caused by deep full-thickness burns.

Burn Rehabilitation Therapists Competency Tool-Version 2: An Expansion to Include Long-Term Rehabilitation and Outpatient Care.

The Burn Rehabilitation Therapist Competency Tool (BRTCT) was developed in 2011 to define core knowledge and skill sets that are central to the job performance of occupational and physical therapists working with burn patients during acute hospitalization and initial rehabilitation. It was the first national effort to provide standards that burn centers could use for the training and evaluation of a BRT performance. The American Burn Association Rehabilitation Committee recently expanded the tool to include long-term rehabilitation and outpatient care in order to more fully represent all of the stages of care in which patients with burn injury receive therapy. Thirty-six burn centers contributed competencies, 17 rehabilitation experts participated in a systematic Delphi questionnaire process, and eight representatives from seven additional burn centers validated the tool. The revised BRTCT, called the BRTCT-2, includes four new practice domains and 28 new competency statements. The expanded tool provides a common framework of standards for performance for occupational and physical therapists working with patients throughout the full spectrum of burn care.

Long-Term Outcomes in Patients Surviving Large Burns: The Musculoskeletal System.

The authors have previously described long-term outcomes related to the skin in patients surviving large burns. The objective of this study was to describe the long-term musculoskeletal complications following major burn injury. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that includes a one-time evaluation of 98 burn survivors (mean age = 47 years; mean TBSA = 57%; and mean time from injury = 17 years), who consented to participate in the study. A comprehensive history and physical examination was conducted by a senior and experienced Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician. In addition to completing a Medical Problem Checklist, subjects also completed the Burn-Specific Health Scale (Abbreviated 80 item), a self-report measure used to review the level of functional adaptation. Joint pain, joint stiffness, problems walking or running, fatigue, and weak arms and hands are conditions that continue to be reported at an average of 17 years from the time of burn injury. Seventy-three percent (68 of 93) of the study sample were found to have a limitation of motion and areas most affected were the neck (47%), hands (45%), and axilla (38%). The global (Burn-Specific Health Scale-total) score for the overall sample was 0.78. Subjects with limitation of motion had significant difficulty in areas of mobility, self-care, hand function, and role activities. This study underscores the importance of long-term follow-up care and therapeutic interventions for survivors of major burn injury, as they continue to have significant and persistent burn-related impairments even several years following injury.

Electrical injuries: a 20-year review.

Electrical injuries continue to present problems with devastating complications and long-term socioeconomic impact. The purpose of this study is to review one institution's experience with electrical injuries. From 1982 to 2002, there were 700 electric injury admissions. A computerized burn registry was used for data collection and analysis. Of these injuries, 263 were high voltage (> or =1000 V), 143 were low voltage (<1000 V), 277 were electric arc flash burns, and 17 were lightning injuries. Mortality was highest in the lightning strikes (17.6%) compared with the high voltage (5.3%) and low voltage (2.8%) injuries, and mortality was least in electric arc injuries without passage of current through the patient (1.1%). Complications were most common in the high-voltage group. Mean length of stay was longest in this group (18.9 +/- 1.4 days), and the patients in this group also required the most operations (3 +/- 0.2). Work-related activity was responsible for the majority of these high-voltage injuries, with the most common occupations being linemen and electricians. These patients tended to be younger men in the prime of their working lives. Electrical injuries continue to make up an important subgroup of patients admitted to burn centers. High-voltage injuries in particular have far reaching social and economic impact largely because of the patient population at greatest risk, that is, younger men at the height of their earning potential. Injury prevention, although appropriate, remains difficult in this group because of occupation-related risk.

Select practices in management and rehabilitation of burns: a survey report.

The purpose of this study is to document the organization and current practices in physical rehabilitation across burn centers. An online survey developed for the specific purposes of this study sought information regarding a) logistics of the burn center; b) inpatient and outpatient treatment of patients with burn injury; and c) specific protocols in the treatment of a few complications secondary to burn injuries. Of the 159 responses received, 115 were received from the United States, 20 from Australia, 16 from Canada, and 7 from New Zealand. The overall sample included responses from 76 physical therapists (PTs) and 78 occupational therapists. Seventy-three of those surveyed considered themselves primarily a burn therapist. Nurses (86%) were reported as primarily responsible for wound care of inpatients, followed by wound care technicians (24%). Ninety-seven percent of the therapists reported following their own treatment plans. The trunk and areas of head and neck were treated by both PTs and occupational therapists, whereas the lower extremities continue to be treated predominantly by PTs. Some common practices regarding treatment of a few complications secondary to burn injuries such as splinting to prevent contractures, treatment of exposed or ruptured extensor tendons, exposed Achilles tendons, heterotopic ossification, postoperative ambulation, conditioning, scar massage, and use of compression garments are described. Opportunities exist for 1) developing a common document for practice guidelines in physical rehabilitation of burns; and 2) conducting collaborative studies to evaluate treatment interventions and outcomes.

Long-term outcomes in patients surviving large burns: the skin.

The objective of this study was to evaluate persons who have survived severe burns and to describe the long-term residual problems relating to the skin. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that included a one-time evaluation of 98 burn survivors (18 years old or older) who survived >or=30% TBSA burns, were >or=3 years postinjury, and consented to participate. Study participants were required to undergo a physical examination conducted by the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physicians in addition to completing study questionnaires. Participants were predominantly male (63%) and Caucasian (69%). The average time from injury was 17 years (range 3-53 years), and the average TBSA burn was 57% (range 30-97%). Problems with hot and cold temperature, sensory loss, raised scars, and itching continued to pose problems many years after burn injury. Reports of open wounds, skin rash, painful scars, and shooting pain in scars tended to decrease over time, whereas reports of fragile burns, including cuts and tears, tended to increase over time. Findings from the physical examination of the participants include hypertrophic scars in grafted areas (92%) and in nongrafted areas (38%), decreased sensation to pin in grafted areas (71%), hyperpigmentation in grafted areas (53%), fingernail deformities (35%), and skin breakdown (32%). Individuals with large burns deserve more long-term attention. As survivors of large burns continue to face significant burn-related issues, there is a critical need for long-term follow-up both in the clinic and in research.

Contractures in burn injury part II: investigating joints of the hand.

This study prospectively examines the incidence and severity of hand contractures after burn injury and determines predictors of contracture development. Data were collected prospectively from 1993 to 2002 for adult burn survivors admitted to a regional burn center. Demographic and medical data were collected on each subject. Primary outcome measures include presence of contractures, number of contractures, and the severity of contractures at each of the hand joints at hospital discharge. The metacarpal-phalangeal, proximal inter-phalangeal (PIP), and distal inter-phalangeal joints of all digits and the wrist joints are included in this study. Regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of the presence, severity, and number of contractures. Of the 985 study patients, 23% demonstrated at least one hand contracture at hospital discharge. Those with a contracture averaged ten contractures per person. Most contractures were mild (48%) or moderate (41%) in severity. The wrist was the most frequently affected joint (22%). Statistically significant predictors of contracture development include concomitant medical problems, total body surface area grafted and presence of hand burn and hand grafting (P < .05). Predictors of the number of contractures include length of stay, concomitant medical problems, burn size and presence of hand burn and grafting (P < .05). Contractures of the hand are a significant complication of burn injury. Clinicians can use the contracture predictors to help target interventions for those patients most at risk of developing hand contractures. Given the functional importance of the hand in daily living, the burn care community is challenged to find new ways of preventing and treating hand contractures.

Contractures in burn injury: defining the problem.

This study prospectively examined the incidence and severity of large joint contractures after burn injury and determined predictors of contracture development. Data were collected prospectively from 1993 to 2002 for consecutive adult burn survivors admitted to a regional burn center. Demographic and medical data were collected on each subject. The primary outcome measures included the presence of contractures, number of contractures per patient, and severity of contractures at each of four joints (shoulder, elbow, hip, knee) at time of hospital discharge. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of the presence and severity of contractures and a negative binomial regression was performed to determine predictors of the number of contractures. Of the 985 study patients, 381 (38.7%) developed at least one contracture at hospital discharge. Among those with at least one contracture, the mean is three contractures per person. The shoulder was the most frequently contracted joint (38%), followed by the elbow (34%) and knee (22%). Most contractures were mild (60%) or moderate (32%) in severity. Statistically significant predictors of contracture development were length of stay (P < .005) and extent of burn (P = .033) and graft (P < .005). Predictors of the severity of contracture include graft size (P < .005), amputation (P = .034), and inhalation injury (P = .036). More than one third of the patients with a major burn injury developed a contracture at hospital discharge, which highlights the importance of therapeutic positioning and intensive therapy intervention during acute hospitalization. Furthermore, this challenges the burn care community to find new and better ways of preventing contractures after burn injury.

Heterotopic ossification revisited: a 21-year surgical experience.

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is an infrequently encountered complication of a burn. A retrospective review was undertaken to evaluate our treatment and results. Forty-two patients were identified with HO during 21 yrs. Mean age was 38 yrs. Mean total body surface area and third-degree burn were 55% and 37%, respectively. The elbow was the most frequent site (>90%), and 44% were bilateral. The next most common sites were shoulder, hip, knee, and forearm. Greater than 90% of patients had ventilator support and intensive care unit length of stay 58 and 79 days, respectively. HO was first suspected by decreased range of motion, painful and/or swollen joint, or a nerve deficit. Conventional radiographs were used to confirm the clinical diagnosis. The majority of burns overlying joints with HO were associated with prolonged wound closure because of depth, wound infection, or graft loss. Mean day of diagnosis was 71 days (range, 21-134). Excision of HO was undertaken only when range of motion compromised activities of daily living. Surgery successfully improved range of motion in all cases. The mean elbow arc of motion before and after surgery was 52 degrees and 119 degrees (range, 30-180 degrees), respectively. Seventy percent of elbows were ankylosed. A continuous passive motion device was instituted immediately postoperatively. Local postoperative complications included hematoma, wound dehiscence, infection, and nerve deficit. Maintaining range of motion was difficult for 75% of patients. Symptomatic recurrence of HO occurred in four elbows and one forearm. Because the cause(s) are unknown, prevention is impossible; once diagnosed, medical treatment is problematic and spontaneous resolution is infrequent. Surgery continues to be the recommended treatment when activities of daily living or life style are affected.

Profile of patients lost to follow-up in the Burn Injury Rehabilitation Model Systems' longitudinal database.

We sought to identify whether patterns exist in the Burn Injury Rehabilitation Model Systems' database among participants lost to follow-up at 6, 12, or 24 months after injury and to define characteristics that reliably discriminate between persons who are lost to follow-up and those who are not. All participants met the American Burn Association criteria for major burn injury, were 18 years of age or older, received care from one of four burn model systems, and consented to participate in a 2-year prospective data-collection process. Step-wise logistic regression was used to develop three prediction models for the probability of loss to follow-up. The percent of individuals successfully contacted for follow-up were 64% at 6 months, 54% at 12 months, and 42% at 24 months after injury. Individuals who were younger, not employed at time of burn, with less than a high school level education, a history of drug abuse, circumstances of injury involving suspected assault, and having no insurance for care were lost to follow-up. Longer stay in the hospital, on the other hand, increased the likelihood of follow-up. The same risk factors remained significant with or without adjusting for site indicating that these factors are independent and significant in spite of any potential site differences. Successful follow-up at 6- and 12-month intervals increased the likelihood of achieving a follow-up at 24 months after injury. The sociodemographic risk factors for attrition identified in this study represent significant enduring vulnerabilities. The findings necessitate a close examination of several factors and the use of strategies to reduce the risk of attrition.