Assessing the Effects of COVID-19 Infection in Hospitalized Burn Patients Undergoing Split-Thickness Skin Graft Surgery

COVID-19 induces a systemic inflammation in the body and predisposes thromboembolic events in the patients. Consequently, skin autografting in burn patients might be affected by this disease.

In this cross-sectional study, 41 burn patients with COVID-19 were evaluated regarding the rejection of the graft, and the size of the wound and the graft, as well as COVID-19 symptoms and past medical history. The association of autograft rejection with these parameters was evaluated.

The study included 41 patients, with 24.4% being female and 75.6% male. The patients had a mean age of 36.63±15.951 years. One patient experienced autograft rejection, which was not higher than expected in non-COVID-19 patients. Autograft rejection was not associated with age, COVID-19 severity, burn wound size, or graft size. Unfortunately, 14 patients passed away. Mortality was associated with COVID-19 symptoms and burn rate (P = 0.004 and P < 0.001, respectively).

In COVID patients who received skin grafts for burns, the severity of COVID symptoms, gender, burn mechanism, degree of burn, and amount of grafted skin were not linked to graft rejection. The only factor directly related to patient mortality before and after surgery was the extent of the burn. COVID-19 symptoms were found to be associated with mortality in COVID-19 burn patients, but this association may be overestimated. The results also indicated that COVID-19 was not associated with autograft rejection in these patients.