Foot drop in patients with extensive 3rd and 4th degree burn, case series study

Burn injuries can lead to a variety of short- and long-term complications, peripheral neuropathy has been known as the most common neuromuscular complication. 29% of the burn-related peripheral neuropathy has been found in both the upper and lower limbs. Moreover, literature failed to find the causative factors for specific presentations like foot drop in burn patients. This study reports a series of 10 patients who developed foot drop after burn injury and required occupational therapy follow up at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh. To assess the effect of different risk factors in the outcome of foot drop. 10 case records were reviewed, 70% among the patients were men and 30% were women with a mean age of 39 and a mean BMI of 28. Most of the patients 70% were burned by flame. The mean Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) was 62%. 4 of the cases (40%) were having comorbidities. There was a significant association between death and high TBSA. All cases were managed without surgical intervention, physiotherapy started immediately after the diagnosis of foot drop. Seventy percent of our patients improved while 3 cases have expired. Higher TBSA showed to be significantly associated with death.