{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T20:03:41Z","timestamp":1789157021252,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":20,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]],"date-time":"2023-06-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1686268800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Firefighters\u2019 Burn Trust Fund of the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada","award":["W81XWH1920048"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["W81XWH1920048"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["EBJ"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Recent advances in burn care have significantly improved the survival rate of patients with extensive burn injuries, placing greater emphasis on reconstruction to improve the long-term outcomes of scar deformities. Anterior and lateral neck contractures are common after burn injuries; they limit range of motion, complicate airway management and create significant cosmetic deformities. Traditional methods have been used to release contractures and improve function. However, they are subject to variable results, residual neck tightness, recurrence and suboptimal cosmetic appearance. Microvascular free tissue transfer is a more technically challenging and time-consuming method, but it offers the potential to overcome the long-term limitations of simpler options. In this paper, we present our experience with microvascular free flaps for the release of burn scar contractures of the neck as a potential high-quality permanent solution. Methods: Over a 10-year period, nine free flaps were performed on burn patients with total body surface area (TBSA) burns between 20 and 70%, who developed moderate to severe neck contractures. Four anterolateral thigh (ALT) flaps, four radial forearm free flaps (RFFFs) and one ulnar forearm flap were used to release neck contractures. Results: All nine flaps were completed successfully with significant improvement in the neck\u2019s range of motion. Good aesthetic results were achieved with smooth contour and thin coverage. Overall, the patients were satisfied. However, five out of nine cases required at least one secondary procedure for flap defatting to reach optimal results. Conclusion: Post-burn scar contractures of the cervical region compromise the cosmetic appearance and airway security of recovering burn patients, imposing a significant impact on their psychological and functional quality of life. Consequently, cervical contractures can be prioritized when planning reconstruction for burn patients. Free flaps can be considered an important and reliable method of reconstruction for neck contracture deformity following burn injuries.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ebj4020022","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]],"date-time":"2023-06-09T09:54:32Z","timestamp":1686304472000},"page":"248-258","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Free Tissue Transfer in the Reconstruction of Neck Contractures after Burn Injury: A Case Series"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"4","author":[{"given":"Genevi\u00e8ve","family":"Ferland-Caron","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H1Y 3L1, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Peter O.","family":"Kwan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wound Healing Research Group, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G, Canada"},{"name":"Firefighters\u2019 Burn Treatment Unit, Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Edward E.","family":"Tredget","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wound Healing Research Group, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G, Canada"},{"name":"Firefighters\u2019 Burn Treatment Unit, Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1097\/00004630-199601000-00007","article-title":"Assessment of cosmetic and functional results of conservative versus surgical management of facial burn","volume":"17","author":"Fraulin","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. 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Burn Trauma"}],"container-title":["European Burn Journal"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2673-1991\/4\/2\/22\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T19:51:36Z","timestamp":1760125896000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2673-1991\/4\/2\/22"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]]},"references-count":20,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6]]}},"alternative-id":["ebj4020022"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ebj4020022","relation":{},"ISSN":["2673-1991"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2673-1991","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]]}}}