A patient has a webbed contracture across the axilla limiting shoulder abduction following a burn injury. Which procedure is specifically designed to lengthen the contracted scar and redirect it into the relaxed skin tension lines?

• A Skin grafting over the contracture
• B Z-plasty ✓
• C Serial excision
• D Tissue expansion followed by advancement flap

Explanation

Z-plasty transposes two triangular flaps, lengthening the contracted line and breaking up the straight scar, typically achieving a theoretical length gain of about 75 percent with standard 60-degree angles. The central limb of the final scar lies along the relaxed skin tension lines. Serial excision shortens scars gradually but does not redirect them, and grafting does not address the contracture mechanics.

Reference: Grabb and Smith's Plastic Surgery, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.