Outcomes of Patients with Amputation following Electrical Burn Injuries

Eur Burn J. 2023 Aug 17;4(3):318-329. doi: 10.3390/ebj4030029.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine patients who sustained amputation as a result of electrical burns and to evaluate their long-term health outcomes compared to non-electrical burn patients with amputation. A retrospective analysis was conducted on burn patients from 1993 to 2021, utilizing the Burn Model System National Database, which includes the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 29. The data was collected at discharge, 6 months, and 12 months after the burns occurred. The findings revealed that the rate of amputation was significantly higher in electrical burn patients (30.3%) compared to non-electrical burn patients (6.6%) (p < 0.0001). At the time of discharge, electrical burn patients with amputation exhibited significantly lower physical component scores (PCS = 34.00 ± 8.98) than electrical burn patients without amputation (PCS = 44.66 ± 9.90) (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in mental component scores observed between patients, regardless of the burn type or amputation. Among all patient groups, non-electrical burn survivors with amputation faced the greatest challenges in terms of physical and social well-being, likely due to larger total body surface area burns. This study emphasizes the importance of early rehabilitation for electrical burn patients with amputation and highlights the need for ongoing support, both physically and socially, for non-electrical burn survivors with amputation. These findings, consistent with previous studies, underscore the necessity of providing psychological support to all burn survivors.

Keywords: amputation; burns; electrical burns; long-term outcomes.

Grants and funding

The contents of this manuscript were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90DPBU0006). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this manuscript do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.