Review of Laser Therapy for Burn Injuries and Considerations for Burns in the Military Population.

BACKGROUND

Nearly 500,000 individuals seek care for burns every year in the United States. Almost one burn injury occurs every day among US service members during deployment. Severe burns can result in contractures, limiting the range of motion and affecting the ability to perform daily activities.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to characterize the use of lasers in the treatment of burn injuries and to describe burn injuries in the military population.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted of the literature using PubMed to find articles pertaining to burn injuries in the military population and the use of laser therapy for burn injuries.

RESULTS

Forty articles were included. Types of laser used for the treatment of burn injuries included CO2 ablative fractional lasers, pulsed dye lasers, Erbium YAG lasers, and others. Laser therapy shows potential use for treating chronic contractures resulting from burn injuries. Significant improvements have been reported in reducing contractures and enhancing functionality, particularly among our service member population.

CONCLUSION

Trauma dermatology is a growing field that includes the treatment of burn scars in both the military and civilian populations. Laser treatments show efficacy in treatment for burn-related contractures limiting mobility and for scarring.