Annals of plastic surgery
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Annals of plastic surgery · Feb 1996
Comparative StudyAn evaluation of excision with application of autografts or porcine xenografts within 24 hours of burn injury.
An evaluation of feasibility and safety of excising burn wounds within 24 hours of injury was carried out. Over a 2-year period, 124 patients were admitted and taken to the operating room within 24 hours of initial burn injury. All cases were from one surgeon's practice. ⋯ Twenty-three patients required readmission for further treatment, usually including surgery. It appears that excision within 24 hours of injury is safe. There is the obvious benefit of a reduced hospital stay by decreasing the time to surgery and the theoretical advantage obtained by early removal of sources of infection.