title: Tangential excision of scalp burns: experience from the Bradford fire disaster.
abstract: Tangential excision of deep dermal scalp burns does not appear to be widely practised. During the Bradford Football fire victims sustained mixed depth scalp burns. These were mainly as a result of radiant heat, although falling molten bitumen was the cause of injury in a few patients. Deep dermal or full thickness burns of the scalp were tangentially excised and skin grafted. One patient did not have a graft applied after tangential excision. The early results of graft take were satisfactory. Subsequently, however, 56 per cent required further grafting; the reasons for this are discussed. Ten months after the incident there is no difference in appearance between areas of primary grafting and areas of secondary healing.
authors.affiliation: St Luke's Hospital, Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Dickson
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Sharpe
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001458:Bandages; D002056:Burns / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires; D005538:Football; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D012535:Scalp / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D016038:Skin Transplantation