Management of acute burn injuries of the upper extremity in the pediatric population

Bums of the upper extremity occur frequently in children. Because of differ ences in development and anatomy, patterns of burn injury are different in children compared to adults. Immediate goals after these injuries are to pr event compartment syndromes and minimize progressive damage. The second dec ision is whether the burn requires conservative care or grafting. If the in jury heals within 2 weeks, then scarring is minimized. If the wound has not healed in that time period, then grafting should be considered. Grafting t echniques that optimize function and cosmetic appearance are outlined.