Early free-flap coverage of electrical and thermal burns.

Because of the clinical concept of progressive tissue necrosis, the concept of immediate excision and coverage of high-tension electrical burns and deep thermal burns has been a controversial subject. Recent clinical and laboratory research has cast doubt on this concept. We present a series of five patients who suffered severe extremity electrical and thermal injuries in whom early excisions were performed with immediate free-flap reconstruction. Special importance is given to radical debridement of all questionably nonviable tissues, excepting intact tendons, nerves, and bone. In these tissues, anatomic continuity is more important than apparent viability. No infections or wound-healing complications were seen as a result of this protocol. Of eight digital nerves that did not function at the initial examination, five subsequently recovered two-point discrimination of less than 10 mm.