Friction burn injuries to the dorsum of the hand after car and industrial accidents: classification, management, and functional recovery.

A total of 65 cases of friction burn injuries to the dorsum of the hand after car and industrial accidents were reviewed. The mean age of the study population was 31 years (range 18-68 years). The injury sustained from friction was graded into four grades: grade I (n = 6), isolated second-degree skin burn, grade II (n = 6), full-thickness skin burn without extensor tendon exposure, grade III (n = 45) the friction injury affected and exposed the extensor tendons, and grade IV (n = 8) the friction injury extended to bones and joints. Management was by dressing, split skin grafting, local/pedicle flap, and free muscle flap in grades I to IV, respectively. Functional recovery of the hand in terms of percentage normal range of motion and grip strength was best in grade I and worst in grade IV injury. Complications of reverse-pedicled forearm flaps were higher than free muscle flaps. However, the aesthetic appearance of grafted free muscle flaps on the dorsum of the hand was inferior to fasciocutaneous flaps.