Psychological and Functional Outcomes after Surgical Release of Postburn Contractures: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Postburn contractures are a common complication of burn injuries and result in significant functional disability and psychological distress. Surgical release is a routine procedure used to restore mobility; however, its effect on psychological outcomes has been less studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate psychological and functional outcomes following surgical release of postburn contractures. This hospital-based prospective longitudinal cohort study with a pre–post design was conducted in 180 patients with postburn contractures undergoing surgical release. Functional disability was assessed using the World health organization disability assessment schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) and depressive symptoms using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). The evaluation was performed preoperatively and 12 weeks after surgery. Paired t -tests, Pearson correlation, and linear regression analysis were used. The participants’ mean age was 37.74 ± 10.53 years. WHODAS scores decreased from 3.42 ± 0.66-2.04 ± 0.63 ( P < 0.001), indicating a significant improvement in functional disability after surgery. The HAM-D scores decreased from 21.63 ± 4.52 to 10.80 ± 3.20 ( P < 0.001), indicating a significant decrease in depressive symptoms. Disability and depressive symptoms were found to be significantly correlated ( R 2 = 0.55, P < 0.001). Both depression symptoms (Cohen’s d = 3.60) and disability (Cohen’s d = 3.83) had large effect sizes. Surgically releasing postburn contractures leads to both functional and psychological improvements. The results emphasize how crucial it is to combine surgical care with psychological evaluation and rehabilitation to maximize burn survivors’ recovery.