Background: Burns are a common occurrence in the United States with emergency departments providing care annually for over 400,000 burn related injuries. Hypertrophic scarring is particularly prevalent in burn patients and affects between 32 to 72% of those burned with an increased prevalence in those with burns greater than 20% of total body surface area (TBSA). Thus, the purpose of this case report was to highlight common therapeutic interventions used in an inpatient rehabilitation setting to treat an individual with >60% TBSA and prevent the deleterious effects of hypertrophic scarring and scar contractures. Case Description: The patient was a 32-year-old Caucasian male who sustained a ~70% TBSA flame burn across his entire body. The duration of the patient’s stay was roughly 14 weeks. Intervention: Physical therapy was focused on advancing mobility and preventing the deleterious effects of scar contractures by use of specific patient positioning, splinting, and therapeutic exercises. By discharge, the patient’s goals had been met and he was deemed appropriate for transfer to a skilled rehab center for further advanced and more intensive rehabilitation. The patient was able to ambulate with stand by assistance and was able to perform functional reaching tasks with his left upper extremity but displayed limitations due to the severity of his burns and unavoidable contractures in his right upper extremity. Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measures used for this patient were active range of motion of the upper extremities and lower extremities as well as subjective ambulatory data. Discussion: This case report demonstrates an example of the positive effects that evidence-based interventions provide to a patient to assist in preventing mobility loss and scar banding in an inpatient setting.
Dissertation
Hypertrophic Scar Management in a Patient with Greater than 60 Percent Total Body Surface Area Burn: A Case Report
University of Iowa
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) , University of Iowa
Autumn 2023
Free to read and download, Open Access
Abstract
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Hypertrophic Scar Management in a Patient with Greater than 60 Percent Total Body Surface Area Burn: A Case Report
- Creators
- Casey Van Natta - University of Iowa
- Contributors
- Stacey DeJong (Advisor) - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Project Type
- Case Report
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) , University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science
- Date degree season
- Autumn 2023
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- 9 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2023 Casey Van Natta
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Doctor of Physical Therapy Case Reports
- Record Identifier
- 9984560247502771
Metrics
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