Abstract
Background:
Reconstructive procedures following burn injury restore function and appearance, yet institutional volume trends are inconsistently captured by administrative coding systems. This retrospective review characterizes changes in secondary burn reconstruction volume, patient characteristics, and procedural patterns over the last 4 years at a single academic burn/plastic surgery practice, in the context of an observed increase in both case and patient volume.
Methods:
A single-center retrospective review was performed of all secondary burn reconstruction cases and unique patients treated between fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2026. Data were abstracted from electronic medical records and operative case logs to calculate annual case volume, unique patient counts, date of index burn injury, patient age, and the operative intervention(s) undergone. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize year-to-year trends.
Results:
A total of 715 secondary burn reconstruction cases were performed across 352 unique patients over the 4-year study period. Case volume increased annually from 109 cases in fiscal year 2023 to 239 cases in 2026 (a 119% increase), with a parallel increase in unique patients treated from 58 to 102, respectively. The most common secondary burn reconstruction operation performed throughout the study period was consistently laser scar revision (CO2/fractional or pulsed dye), followed by contracture release in the last fiscal year.
Conclusions:
This retrospective analysis demonstrates a sustained increase in secondary burn reconstruction volume, both in total procedures and unique patients, over 4 consecutive years at a single academic center. These findings support continued investment in reconstructive burn surgical capacity and highlight the value of institution-level tracking to guide resource allocation and practice development.