Scar Mobilization Improves Scars and Quality of Life in Burned Children.

Official title

Effects of the Scar Tissue Mobilization on Scar Thickness, Pliability and Quality of Life in Children With Upper Extremity Burns.

Overview

This quasi-experimental study evaluates the effect of scar tissue mobilization on scar thickness, pliability, and quality of life in children with upper extremity burns. Conducted at Mayo Hospital Lahore, children aged 8-13 will receive treatment for 5 weeks, with outcomes analyzed using SPSS 27.

Detailed description

Burn injuries, especially to the upper extremities, are common in children and can lead to hypertrophic scarring, resulting in pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. These complications significantly impact a child's ability to perform daily activities and affect overall quality of life and development. Rehabilitation plays a vital role in recovery, with scar tissue mobilization being a key intervention to improve scar flexibility and function. While commonly used, there is limited evidence on its specific effects in pediatric upper limb burns. This study aims to assess the impact of scar tissue mobilization on scar thickness, pliability and quality of life in children with upper extremity burns.

The study design will be Quasi experimental study. The data will be collected from mayo hospital, Lahore. The study will be completed in 10 months after the approval of synopsis. Children aged 8 to 13 years old will be included in this study and each patient will receive the same intervention. The participants will receive scar tissue mobilization intervention for 15 minutes twice a week for 5 weeks. Participants fulfilling the eligibility criteria will be asked to assign the consent form before entering into the study. The scar thickness and pliability will be measure from the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and quality of life with Brisbane Scar Impact Profile (BBSIP). The synopsis will be presented to Research Ethical Committee of Riphah International University, Lahore for ethical approval to conduct this study. Data will be analyzed through SPSS 27.

Interventions

• Other Scar tissue mobilization
  15-minute massage twice weekly for 5 weeks using baby oil by the same therapist. Included moderate-pressure strokes, finger pressing, circular movements, skin rolling, and finishing gliding strokes.

Primary outcome measures

• vancouver scar scale [Time frame: Baseline, 5 week]
• Brisbane burn scar impact profile (BBSIP) [Time frame: Baseline, 5 week]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• 8-13 years
• Stable scar and referred for scar management
• Affected upper extremity joints (shoulder, elbow and wrist) with burned injuries
• Partial thickness and full thickness burn.

Exclusion criteria

• Pre-existing skin condition or allergies
• Neurological disorders affecting motor function
• Fracture with burn in upper limbs
• Patient with only superficial burns

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: No

Study design

Allocation

N/A

Model

Single group

Masking

Open label

Primary purpose

Other

Study locations

Pakistan · 1 center

• Mayo Hospital — Lahore

Publications

• Edger-Lacoursiere Z, Zhu M, Jean S, Marois-Page E, Nedelec B. Evidence Supporting Conservative Scar Management Interventions Following Burn Injury: A Review Article. J Burn Care Res. 2025 Aug 12;46(3):504-514. doi: 10.1093/jbcr/irae204. PMID 39548761

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07578883 · REC/RCR&AHS/24/Areej Saher

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗