title: An innovative, cost-effective, pressure-relieving device for burned ears.
abstract: Cosmetic disfigurement is a common result of facial burn injuries. Next to judicious wound care and timely wound closure, the application of pressure to maturing facial scars is a key factor in minimizing disfigurement. This is not true for ear burns, where pressure is contraindicated at all phases of recovery, thus making it mandatory to provide pressure-relief over the ears throughout rehabilitation. Though such a need has been understood since long ago, the availability of such a device is very rare in any developing nation. Moreover the cost of such splints is too expensive. This report presents an innovative idea to protect the ear with a low-cost splinting technique.
authors.affiliation: PMR and Burns Unit, Department of Occupational Therapy, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore 632 004, India. manigandan93@yahoo.com
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manigandan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dhanaraj
mesh_terms: D002056:Burns / Q000191:economics / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004431:Ear, External / Q000293:injuries*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D011312:Pressure; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000191:economics*; D013165:Splints / Q000191:economics*