Treatment methods of upper limbs with destructive electric burns and its clinical efficacy

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the treatment methods of upper limbs with destructive electric burns and its clinical efficacy. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From July 2014 to December 2020, 20 male patients with destructive electric burns in upper limbs who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, aged from 21 to 57 years, of whom 7 patients underwent emergency surgery, and a total of 20 affected limbs were treated with limb salvage. The necrotic bone was resected in 5 affected limbs, the residual hand and wrist at the distal end of left affected limb was replanted to the residual end of the right forearm in one patient in a cross heterotopic way, and short reduction and replantation after osteotomy were performed for two affected limbs with distal ulnar and radial necrosis. After thorough debridement, the area of wound proposed to be repaired by tissue flap was from 12 cm×7 cm to 58 cm×13 cm. According to the size and distribution of wound, the wounds of 2 affected limbs were repaired by transplantation of pedicled latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap and free groin flap with vascular anastomosis. The wounds of the remaining 17 affected limbs were repaired with the transplantation of free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, anterolateral thigh flaps, and paraumbilical perforator flap, with 10 affected limbs with larger wounds being jointly transplanted with the groin flap or the paraumbilical perforator flap on the other side. The total grafted tissue flap area was 20 cm×8 cm to 52 cm×20 cm. During tissue flap transplantation, according to the length of blood vessel defect in the affected limb, the distal artery of the affected limb was bridged with the distal part of flap vascular pedicle, undamaged vein on the affected side, superficial vein of abdominal wall, and great saphenous vein, etc., in 14 affected limbs, and the great saphenous vein was grafted in 3 of them with impeded distal return for recanalization of distal limb veins. The wound in the donor area was repaired by direct suture or grafting with split-thickness scalp. After the wound was basically healed, the functional rehabilitation training was started gradually, and the functional reconstruction and scar rectification surgery were started 3 months after tissue flap transplantation. The survival of tissue flaps/skin grafts, wound healing, limb salvage, and follow-up status after surgery were recorded. At the last follow-up, the function of the successfully salvaged limb was evaluated and scored by the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) scoring scale. Results: After surgery, the grafted tissue flap in the affected limb and the skin grafts transplanted on the wound at flap donor site survived, and wounds at the recipient and donor sites healed well. Two affected limbs had distal necrosis within 10 days after tissue flap transplantation, and the middle and upper forearms were amputated. The remaining 18 affected limbs were successfully salvaged (including shortened replantation and cross heterotopic replantation). During 6-48 months of follow-up, 5 affected limbs that were successfully salvaged developed aseptic dissolution of residual tendon and bone tissue 3 to 18 months after tissue flap transplantation, which gradually healed after surgical debridement combined with vacuum sealing drainage treatment. At the last follow-up, the stump of two affected limbs healed well after amputation; 18 affected limbs that were successfully salvaged all survived well, of which 8 affected limbs had good recovery of finger flexion and extension function and thumb opponensplasty and could complete daily activities independently, 9 affected limbs regained partial mobility and could complete daily activities such as dressing and eating with the assistance of the opposite upper limb or auxiliary devices, and one affected limb had no function. At the last follow-up, the functional scores of DASH scoring scale of the 18 affected limbs that were successfully salvaged ranged from 30.0 to 100. Conclusions: Timely surgical debridement, proper treatment of the injured bone tissue, effective vascular bridging for reconstruction of the distal artery of the affected limb, and the use of blood-rich tissue flap to repair the wound, combined with early rehabilitation and functional restoration treatment, are beneficial to salvage the upper limb with destructive electric burns and improve the function of the affected limb.