Treatment and Rehabilitation of Knee Joints Straight Stiffness After Burns

The knee release surgery and postoperative rehabilitation of patients after burns and knee straight stiffness were investigated. Eleven patients were treated for 16 side burns and knee stiffness who consisted of nine males and two females, aged 19 to 54 years (mean = 33.2). The duration of the patients’ knee stiffness ranged from 8 to 26 months, with an average of 12.6 months. Their preoperative flexion ranged from 5° to 50°, with an average of 26.2°. Their preoperative Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee scores ranged from 46 to 72 points, with an average of 55.8 points. All stiff knees were treated with release surgery, along with total release of intra-articular adhesion and excision of vastus intermedius. After the arthrolysis of the stiff knee joint, the tight skin was completely loose in the adhesions. The soft tissue contracture was not grafted, but the shade fascia was freed to increase skin ductility. All knee joints were released to more than 90° of flexion in the operation, and reversed fascia flaps were used to suture the loss of the deep fascia at the position of flexion of 90°. After the operation, the knee joint was fixed in flexion for 72 h while being actively cared for by early rehabilitation. Subsequently, the patient’s skin coverage, joint motion, and joint function recovery were observed. Based on the follow-up of the patients for the following 16 to 36 months (mean = 25.7), the knee flexion of the patients ranged from 110° to 135°, with an average of 122.2° and 96° increase (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the patients had better skin ductility to meet the increase in joint flexion. HSS knee function scores at the end of follow-up ranged from 93 to 100 points, with an average of 97.5 points and an increase of 41.7 points (P < 0.01). The joint function improved significantly. The arthrolysis of straight stiff knee joints after burns can ease muscle contracture and free the shade fascia, thus avoiding the need to undergo skin grafting. Short-term fixation of the joints after surgery and active flexion rehabilitation may also be the key to improve skin ductility and joint function of the patients.