Broadening the armamentarium of plastic surgery in managing electrical burn injury and its sequelae
Syama Sundar Behera, Sanjay Kumar Giri, Santanu Suba, Vidush KumarContext:
Electrical burn injuries produce deep and progressive tissue damage that often exceeds the apparent cutaneous defect. Exposure of tendons, joints, vessels, and bone frequently necessitates flap reconstruction for durable coverage and preservation of function.
Aims:
To assess the efficacy of various flaps for reconstruction in patients with electrical burn injuries and to establish the role of flaps in reconstruction for patients with electrical burn injuries and its sequelae.
Settings and Design:
Retrospective descriptive study was conducted at a tertiary care center.
Subjects and Methods:
Records of patients with electrical burns who underwent flap reconstruction between January 2020 and December 2025 were reviewed. Patients managed with dressings or skin grafting alone were excluded. Demographic data, anatomical site, timing of reconstruction, type of flap, and intraoperative findings were analyzed. Flap survival and postoperative complications were documented.
Statistical Analysis Used:
Descriptive statistical analysis.
Results:
Seventy-two patients underwent 89 flap procedures. The majority were males in the third decade of life. The upper limb was the most commonly involved region. Pedicled and loco-regional flaps were used most frequently, while free tissue transfer was required in selected cases. Flap survival was achieved in 84 of 89 procedures, with an overall success rate of approximately 94%. Complications were limited and managed without major re-intervention.
Conclusions:
Flap reconstruction remains central to the management of electrical burn defects. A broad, individualized reconstructive approach allows reliable coverage and functional restoration in this challenging group of patients.