[A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON TREATMENT OF SCAR CONTRACTURE ON FACE, NECK, AND JOINTS WITH PRE-EXPANDED FLAPS AND SKIN GRAFTS].

OBJECTIVE

To study the treatment results of the pre-expanded flaps for scar contracture on face, neck, and joints by comparing with the skin grafts.

METHODS

A total of 240 cases of scar contracture between July 2004 and June 2014 were included in the study by random sampling; skin grafts were used in 120 cases (skin graft group), and pre-expanded flaps in 120 cases (pre-expanded flap group). There was no significant difference in age, sex, injury sites, and disease duration between 2 groups (P>0.05). Re-operation rate and A&F 0-6 quantization score were used to evaluate the treatment results.

RESULTS

The patients were followed up 12 to 75 months (mean, 23.47 months) in the skin graft group, and 12 to 61 months (mean, 19.62 months) in the pre-expanded flap group. The re-operation rate of the skin graft group was 72.5% (87/120), and was significantly higher than that of the pre-expanded flap group (19.2%, 23/120) (P=0.000). The re-operation rate of the neck contracture in teenagers was the highest. It was 93.9% in the skin graft group and 35.0% in the pre-expanded flap group. In the patients who did not undergo re-operations, A&F 0-6 quantization score of the skin graft group was 2.85±1.12, and was significantly lower than that of the pre-expanded flap group (5.22±0.74) (t=13.830, P=0.000).

CONCLUSION

Pre-expanded flap for scar contracture on face, neck, and joints has lower re-operation rate and better aesthetic and functional restoration than skin graft. It should be regarded as the preferred method for teenagers.