Congenital Factor XIII Deficiency as Cause of Therapy-Resistant Burn Wounds

Abstract

Actual history as reported by the patient’s father and the hospitals involved: On February 23, 1991, a 10 year old healthy boy contracted second degree burns of 12% BSA on both legs while pouring gasoline into an open fire. He was admitted to a hospital in Libya where conservative treatment was initiated. Failure of wound healing caused the transfer of the patient to a hospital in Cyprus where a skin grafting was done. After his return to Libya the wound condition deteriorated due to loss of transplants and secondary infection. The patient was readmitted in Cyprus with multiple infected wounds and raw areas on both limbs. After an initial conservative wound treatment a secondary transplantation of split skin, taken from abdomen and right arm, was carried out. Again there was an extensive loss of grafts. The donor sites did not heal. The patient’s condition deteriorated physically and psychologically. By September 3, 1991 he had undergone 20 procedures under general anesthesia. On October 29, 1991 the patient was transferred to our institution.