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The place of “contact media” in a burn scar management programme

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Abstract

The plan of burn scar management of the Burn Unit at the Women's and Children Hospital is based on the following principles: early excision and grafting, close monitoring in a designated Burn Clinic and the individualised use of “contact media”. Contact media are grouped as adhesive contact media, contact media without pressure and contact media with pressure. Hypafix is our first choice with the aim of preventing progression to hypertrophy. The place of the other media is described. Hypertrophy is considered to be a delayed onset secondary phenomenon preceded by capillary hyperaemia which is the primary phenomenon. It is suggested that the mode of action of contact media is due to a water retention effect mimicking the role of stratum corneum. Contact media have replaced pressure in our scar management programme with improved cosmesis and shortened therapy time with an overall reduction in cost.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Surgery, Women's Children's Hospital, 72 KingWilliam Road, 5006, North Adelaide, SA, Australia

    R. B. Davey

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  1. R. B. Davey
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Davey, R.B. The place of “contact media” in a burn scar management programme. Eur J Plast Surg 21, 24–27 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01152419

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01152419

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