Reconstruction of Post-burn Microstomia: Our Experience

Reconstruction of the post-burn contracture is a complex task in plastic surgery. A burn patient treated traditionally only by dressings develops scar with contracture involving the burned region. The lip is a part of the face that is frequently affected by burn injury. Post-burn scar sequelae in this area often result in cosmetic disfigurement and psychological upset in patients. Microstomia poses difficulty in airway intubation during anesthesia and contracture of the neck if present confounds difficulty. Reconstruction of post-burn oral commissure aims to restore both symmetry of the lips (esthetic) and full oral competence (functional). Frequently treated in our department, we present a case series of post-burn contracture of neck with microstomia whose neck extension and mouth opening both were restricted giving less option but more challenge for both anesthesiologists and plastic surgeons.