Lower temperature burn on replanted fingers and free flaps in hand

초록

Background: Patients who have undergone microsurgery for reconstruction with a free flap or finger replantation are vulnerable to heat injury, even at low temperatures. Objective: This study evaluated the low-temperature burns of patients who underwent a hand reconstruction with a free flap or finger replantation. Material and Methods: The medical records of patients who received warm therapy using an infrared heat lamp after hand surgery from January 2009 to December 2016 were reviewed. The patients were classified into 2 Groups (Group A: free flap or finger replantation surgery, Group B: other hand surgeries such as tenorrhaphy, tenolysis, or joint surgery). Patients with thermal burns were selected and the relationship between the 2 types of surgery and the timing of the burn after microsurgery were analyzed. Results: Groups A and B were composed of 370 and 7010 patients. Burns occurred in 4 and 1 patients in each groups. The occurrence of low-temperature burns was more associated with undergoing microsurgery such as free flap or finger replantation. Conclusion: Low-temperature thermal burns can occur in patients who have undergone microsurgery for a hand reconstruction. This is believed to be related to disruption of thermoregulatory function and poor nerve regeneration, as well as heat accumulation