ABSTRACT
Compartment syndrome is a serious complication of high voltage electrical burns, limb carbonization and deep circular burns with delayed escharotomy. Without treatment, ischemic tissue damage leads to irreversible necrosis. Treatment is emergency surgical decompression. The burned patient is usually not searchable and cannot always be readily examined because of bulky dressings; diagnosis of compartment syndrome is always hard to make. The pressure transducer used in central arterial catheters is easy available. We used it to measure pressure in muscular compartments. We measured compartment pressure three times at different depths in all cases of electrical burn, carbonization and deep circumferential burns with delayed escharotomy. We also took the pressure in the uninjured limb. The pressure assessment device was composed of a blood pressure transducer commonly used in arterial catheters for arterial pressure monitoring with three connecting branches. The first branch was connected to the 'arterial pressure exit' in the monitoring device. The second, an IV tube, was connected to one litre of physiological serum in a pressure bag inflated to 200 mmHg. The third, also an IV tube with a sterile extension cable, was directly connected to an 18G standard straight needle to be inserted in the tissues for which interstitial pressure had to be measured. In patients with thermal burns, we measured pressure before and after escharotomy. Threshold intracompartmental pressure was 35 mmHg. We carried out pressure assessment of all muscular compartments during and at the end of surgery. The pressure transducer provides a pressure value in all muscular compartments with a time of installation and measuring of less than 5 minutes. Sensitivity is measured at +/- 1 mmHg. Operation is simple, non-operator dependent, and accessible to medical and paramedic teams. The pressure transducer allows accurate diagnosis of early or established compartment syndrome. It requires no additional equipment and its application does not delay therapeutic management. Its use helps with fasciotomy decision, especially after escharotomy, guides the surgeon in the exploration of different compartments and verifies the effectiveness of surgery.
Le syndrome de loge est une complication sévère des brûlures électriques de haut voltage, les carbonisations de membres et les brûlures profondes circulaires en attente d'escarrotomie. Sans traitement, les lésions tissulaires ischémiques apparaissent et entrainent des lésions nécrotiques irréversibles. Le traitement est la décompression chirurgicale d'urgence. Le brûlé est généralement in interrogeable et le diagnostic est toujours difficile à établir étant donné les volumineux pansements. Le capteur de pression au moyen de cathéters artériels est facile et nous l'utilisons pour mesurer la pression dans les loges musculaires. Nous mesurons cette pression compartimentale à 3 reprises à des profondeurs différentes, dans tous les cas de brûlures électriques avec carbonisation et brûlures circonférentielles profondes et qui sont en attente d'escarrotomie: nous prenons également la pression au niveau des membres non atteints. L'appareil de mesure est composé d'un capteur de pression sanguine, avec trois connexions: la première est la pression artérielle habituelle, la deuxième est en rapport avec 1 litre de sérum dans une poche gonflée à 200 mm Hg, la troisième est directement en rapport avec une aiguille 18 G pour être insérée au niveau des loges musculaires. Chez les patients porteurs de brûlures thermiques, la pression est prise avant et après l'escarrotomie. Le niveau de pression intra compartimentale est de 35 mm d'Hg. Nous évaluons la pression dans toutes les loges pendant la chirurgie et à la fin de l'intervention. Le capteur permet d'évaluer la pression dans tous les compartiments musculaires en moins de cinq minutes, avec un degré de fiabilité de plus ou moins 1mm Hg. L'opération est simple, non opérateur dépendant et accessible aux médecins et aux paramédicaux. Le capteur de pression permet le diagnostic précoce du syndrome de loge. Il ne nécessite pas un équipement additionnel et son usage ne retarde pas le début de la thérapeutique. Il aide à la décision de fasciotomie, spécialement après escarrotomie, guide le chirurgien dans l'exploration des différentes loges et vérifie l'efficacité de la chirurgie.
ABSTRACT
Split-thickness meshed skin graft is frequently used in the treatment of acute burns. We studied the effect of the type of basement preparation on graft intake and healing time. We retrospectively analysed 1,129 meshed grafts used in the treatment of acute burns between 1995 and 2005. Intake was significantly better after avulsion (82%) than after tangential excision (75%). Intake was better if avulsion was performed before day 7 (83% vs. 73%). A trend for better intake after tangential excision was seen when performed between day 7 and 21. Healing time was significantly shorter after tangential excision. These results show the paradox that avulsion favours graft intake but delays healing time, contrary to tangential excision.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The orofacial clefts include 30 variant according to Tessier classification: the number 30 contain mandibular arc damage isolated or associated with damage of surrounding soft tissue. CASE REPORT: Our patient was a newborn with median mandibular cleft associated with ankyloglossia, bifid tongue and a top cervical fistula. We have not found polymalformative syndrome. The early surgical management included one time and after-effect were simple within 11 months. DISCUSSION: We point out difficulties for antenatal diagnosis and controversy about appropriate time for surgical management of the bone defect. The last physiopathologic hypotheses were explicated.
