Miss Andrea Mc Kittrick1, Dr Jason Brown2, Ms Mathilde Desselle3, Dr David Forrestal3, Mr Roozbeh Fakhr3, Mr Jacob Skewes3
1Royal Brisbane And Women’s Hospital, Herston , Australia , 2Professor Stuart Pegg Adult Burns Service, RBWH , Herston, Australia , 3Herston Biofabrication Institute Metro North Hospital & Health Service , Herston, Australia
Abstract:
Scarring to the face post burn injury remains a challenge to both individuals and clinicians in terms of long-term outcomes (De Sousa 2010). The face is difficult to manage due to dynamic movements which occur during daily tasks (Prendergast 2013). The curvature of the face and the patterns of scarring impact on cosmesis, function and self- esteem (Greenhalgh 2020)(Edgar 2014). Clinicians use transparent facial orthosis (TFO’s) to provide static compression to flatten and smooth scars (Simons & Tyack, 2015). However, the time and process to create a TFO using alginate and plaster can be cumbersome and a burden to the patient and the treating team (Shons, Rivers & Solem 1981). This case study presents the experience of a 43-year-old gentleman with 44% TBSA flame burns to bilateral hands, bilateral upper limbs, back, chest, neck and face who had TFO’s fabricated using both the traditional method and through 3D scanning and printing. His facial and neck burns were assessed as a deep dermal requiring surgical intervention for wound closure. This study will outline the process in terms of patient experience, satisfaction, and comfort with both methods and resulting TFO’s. The procedures from a clinical and engineering perspectives will also be discussed with the aim of sharing our experience with other facilities managing facial burns.
Biography:
Andrea Mc Kittrick is the Advanced Specialist Occupational Therapist at RBWH. Andrea is currently enrolled in a PhD through Griffith University focusing on hand burn outcomes. She is the current chair of the ANZBA Allied Health committee. She is passionate about collaborating to improve long term outcomes post burn injury.