Skin grafting after paediatric palmar burns: an analysis of 82 patients

Abstract

Contact burn injuries to the palm are common in toddlers. We report a case series of 82 paediatric patients (age 7–48 months) with contact burn injury of the palm. We share our experience and outcomes of using plantar split-thickness skin grafts for resurfacing of the paediatric palm. We found that despite the excellent colour and texture match, split-thickness skin grafts from glabrous skin during growth are prone to motion-limiting scare contracture. From this series, we conclude that full-thickness skin grafts remain the reference standard of care in paediatric patients’ hands. We recommend that children with burn scars should have regular check-up examinations until they are fully grown. Level of evidence: IV