Effects of hydrotherapy with traditional Chinese medicine and magnetotherapy on treatment of scars after healing of deep partial-thickness burn wounds in children

Abstract

Objective: To study the effects of hydrotherapy with traditional Chinese medicine combined with magnetotherapy on treatment of scars after healing of deep partial-thickness burn wounds in children. Methods: Forty-eight children with scars after healing of deep partial-thickness burn wounds admitted to the Burn Department of Air Force General Hospital from January to December in 2016 met the criteria for inclusion in this study, and their medical records were analyzed retrospectively. Within one month after the wound was completely healed, 24 children were treated with silicone cream for 2 times per day and wore elastic sleeves all day long according to the wishes of the children and their families, and they were enrolled in routine treatment group. The other 24 children were treated by hydrotherapy with traditional Chinese medicine Fuchunsan No. 2 once every 2 days for 30 min each time on the basis of treatment methods of routine treatment group, plus magnetotherapy using pulse magnetotherapy apparatus in the morning and evening of each day for 30-60 min each time, and they were enrolled in hydrotherapy+ magnetotherapy group. Before treatment and 12 weeks after treatment, the Vancouver Scar Scale was used to assess the scar condition of children, the Wong-Baker Facial Expression Scale was used to assess the degree of scar pain of children, the Numerical Rating Scale was used to assess the degree of scar itching of children, the modified Barthel Index was used to assess the activity of daily living (ADL) of children, and the Motor Function Evaluation Scale was used to assess the dysfunction condition of limbs with scar. After 12 weeks of treatment, the incidence of deformity of children was calculated. Data were processed with t test and chi-square test. Results: Before treatment, the scores of scar condition of children between routine treatment group and hydrotherapy+ magnetotherapy group were similar (t=0.517, P=0.721). After 12 weeks of treatment, the score of scar condition of children in hydrotherapy+ magnetotherapy group was (2.8±0.8) points, which was significantly lower than (3.9±0.8) points of routine treatment group (t=5.725, P<0.01). Before treatment, the scores of scar pain and itching degree of children between routine treatment group and hydrotherapy+ magnetotherapy group were similar (t=0.373, 0.241, P=0.712, 0.631). After 12 weeks of treatment, the scores of scar pain and itching degree of children in hydrotherapy+ magnetotherapy group were (0.52±0.21) and (0.7±0.4) points, respectively, which were obviously lower than (1.13±0.32) and (1.3±0.4) points of routine treatment group (t=6.057, 5.259, P<0.01). Before treatment, the ADL scores of children between routine treatment group and hydrotherapy+ magnetotherapy group were similar (t=0.082, P=0.964). After 12 weeks of treatment, the ADL score of children in hydrotherapy+ magnetotherapy group was (67±13) points, which was significantly higher than (48±10) points of routine treatment group (t=5.378, P<0.01). Before treatment, the dysfunction scores of limbs with scar of children between routine treatment group and hydrotherapy+ magnetotherapy group were similar (t=0.261, P=0.720). After 12 weeks of treatment, the dysfunction score of limbs with scar of children in hydrotherapy+ magnetotherapy group was (62±9) points, which was significantly higher than (47±8) points of routine treatment group (t=14.463, P<0.05). After 12 weeks of treatment, the incidence of deformity of children in hydrotherapy+ magnetotherapy group was 8.3% (2/24), which was significantly lower than 37.5% (9/24) of routine treatment group (χ(2)=4.25, P<0.05). Conclusions: On the basis of topical anti-scarring drugs and compression therapy, supplementing hydrotherapy with traditional Chinese medicine and magnetotherapy can significantly reduce the hyperplasia degree, pain degree, itching degree of scars formed after healing of deep partial-thickness burn wounds in children, improve the ADL, promote functional recovery, and reduce the incidence of deformity of children.