Background and objective

Appearance of dermal matrices has had a very positive impact on the functional and aesthetic aspects in burned patients, specially after reconstruction of special areas.

We present our experience in the Department of Plastic and Burns Surgery of the Miguel Servet Universitary Hospital in Zaragoza, Spain, in the use of dermal matrices in surgery of acute burns or sequelae.

Methods

We conduct an observational study on 88 cases, children and adults, treated from September 1999 to September 2019. The matrices used were Integra®bilayer and Matriderm® monolayer, the only permanent dermal substitutes available in our public health system during the referred years.

We collected data on sex, age, percentage of burned body surface, burn mechanism, degree of depth and location of the area treated with dermal matrices, whether it is an acute burn or a sequel, as well as total and partial losses, and finally we show our protocol of action.

Results

Distribution by sex was 51 men and 37 women, average age 37.67 years being the most numerous group between 31 and 50 years; 71 cases of acute burns and 17 sequels. The most frequent burn mechanism was termal (81%). The most frequent used location was the upper limb with 61 cases. We used Matriderm® 1mm in 67 cases, Integra® bilayer in 13 and in 8 cases we used both in the same patient. The average TBSA percentage of patients treated for acute burns was 11.7%. We found 4 cases of total loss (1 of Integra® bilayer and 3 of Matriderm® monolayer), and 11partial losses.

Conclusions

Use of dermal matrices must be a daily option in our units, both for acute burns and sequelae, and we all must be familiar with their indications, management and results, to take them into account within our established reconstructive scales.

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