Purpose: A large number of post burn hand deformities is presented to plastic surgery outpatient clinic in Sohag university hospital which attract our attention to the need to establish a specialized services to such hand deformities through which, we can assess the prevalence and pattern of these hand deformities. This is a survey in a period of 24 months for patients represented to the plastic surgery outpatient clinic in Sohag university hospital with post burn hand deformities with evaluation of the presentation, different techniques of management and reconstructive methods used.
Patients and Methods: A prospective study included cases presented with hand deformities of different age group; sex and different patterns of post burn hand deformities. They are presented to the outpatient clinic of the plastic and reconstructive surgery department at Shag university hospital from Oct 2010 to Dec 2012.
Results: A total number of 148 cases (175 hands) of post burn hand deformities was recorded (79 males and 69 females). The majority of cases in the study (29 %) were in the age group between 10 and 20 years old. It was found that the most common pattern of deformity was the dorsal skin contracture (75 hands), followed by volar skin contracture (48 hands), web space contracture (29 hands) and lastly complex deformities “skin, tendons and joints deformities” (23 hands).
Conclusions: Post burn hand deformities, unlike other deformities in the body, take on a wide varied presentation from the skin deficiency alone, up to any underlying structures as tendons, joints and ligaments may be affected. Thus, the contribution of each anatomic structure to the contracture must be appreciated.