What is contracture?
Contractures in the skin, muscles, and joints are caused by structural alterations in the soft and connective tissue, which ultimately lead to fibrosis and scarring. Burn cases typically result in constricted, scarred skin. When these contractures form in muscles and joints, they also cause stiffness and reduce mobility, interfering with their daily activities. Therefore, the process of contracture release involves releasing the tightened tissues to correct stiffness and rigidity.
| Procedure Name | Contracture Release |
|---|---|
| Type of Surgery | Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery |
| Type of Anesthesia | General or Regional anesthesia |
| Procedure Duration | Nearly 60 minutes |
| Recovery Duration | A few weeks to months |
Contracture Release: Pre-Op & Post-Op Care
Preparation for Contracture Release
To ensure a smooth process, CBC, kidney, clotting, and electrolyte level tests are conducted. Antibiotics are prescribed as a preventive measure in cases of burn contractures involving open wounds. Additionally, the patient is asked to refrain from taking any medications that could interfere with the procedure, such as blood thinners, and is instructed to fast for a few hours.
During the procedure
Once in the procedure room, you will be administered local or general anesthesia. A small cut is made at the contracture site, which could be a muscle, tendon, or skin. This procedure involves removing a portion of burned skin and replacing the scarred skin tissue with either healthy flap skin from another area of the body or, in some cases, skin grafts from cadavers. Alternatively, the muscles are sometimes stretched with soft implants filled with carbon dioxide or saline that are positioned beneath the scar tissue to improve movement. Once the patient can move freely, the implant is removed.
Recovery from Contractures
The length of hospitalization may range from a few days to several days, depending on the type of contracture surgery. The person can resume work in a few weeks, but it may take months for them to fully recover.
Post-Procedure Care:
- Keep the incision area clean and dry
- Take pain medications as prescribed by your doctor.
- To ensure protection, you might wear a splint.
- Avoid strenuous activities such as heavy lifting.
- Attend follow-up appointments for monitoring.
Benefits of Contracture Release at Yashoda Hospitals
- Improved self-confidence.
- Improved appearance of the scarred area.
- Restores the function or capacity to grasp objects in cases of hand contractures.
- Relieves discomfort brought on by tight muscles
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