Authors (including presenting author) :
Wong WY (1), Lo KL (1), Mak WH (1), Wong TW (1), Chui ST (1).
Affiliation :
(1) Burns Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital
Introduction :
Burn survivors become frustrated when they have issues with scarring and wounds. No sooner after a burn injury, prompt and appropriate burn care is crucial for optimal healing and final appearance of the scar. Scar management education is very important for burn patients. Apart from the present effort of those clinicians and researchers to identify therapies for management of excessive scarring, no methodology has emerged as the ‘gold standard’ in treating the hypertrophic scars.
Objectives :
All burn patients in Burns Centre of Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) should familiarize with the scar knowledge. With a view to minimizing the scar formation, the patients should perform skin care massage after the wound healed. Most importantly preventing wound contracture and restoring their limb function rely on them having used to do active mobilization/ stretching exercise.
Methodology :
A group project related to an educational program on burn scar preventive management for burn patients and their relatives is implemented in Burns Centre of PWH. A scar management booklet is made. An evaluation form is given to patient after explanation. An education leaflet is delivered to patients.
Result & Outcome :
138 patients and 179 relatives participated the program. The total samples was 317. 182 male participants and 136 female participants. Patient from 6 days old to 98years old. Among these participants, 227 patients were scald, 62 patients were flame burn, 17 patients were chemical burn, 9 patients were contact burn and 2 patients were electrical burn. 192 patients have joint involvement and 125 patients have no joint involvement. Their total surface area of burn was from 0.5% to 95%. All participants agreed to the booklet content which was related to burn wound scar management. 225 participants could strongly achieve, 82 could mostly achieve and 10 slightly achieve skin care massage skill. 130 participants could strongly achieve, 44 could mostly achieve and 18 slightly achieve the stretching exercise technique. However, 125 patients need not to do exercises because their wounds do not involve the joint. 42 patient’s wound was healed before 14 days. Although there remains no ‘gold standard’ for the prevention and treatment of scars, skin care massage and stretching exercise are practically the most efficient , cost effective way and paramount important on scar preventive management for the benefit of patients.
