Burn Recovery at AHN West Penn Hospital

Recovering from a burn can be a long and painful process. If your burn is severe, you may need surgery or scar treatments to heal.

The Burn Center at AHN West Penn Hospital helps adults and kids with all types of burns. Our team offers surgery, therapy, and support services to help you feel better and get back to your life.

A leading approach to burn care

From the moment you arrive at the Burn Center, specialists across areas of surgery, therapy, and psychology work together to help care for you.

This might include:

• Changing dressings (bandages) to keep wounds clean
• Doing surgery to repair skin
• Treating non-healing wounds that could become infected
• Helping with movement and daily tasks through physical, occupational, or speech therapy
• Offering mental health counseling

“Just like every person is unique, so is every burn,” said Jason Bregg, MD, burn surgeon at West Penn Hospital. “We listen, we learn your story, and we build a treatment plan that fits your needs and goals.”

When does a burn require surgery?

Surgery is a common solution for treating serious burns. You may need surgery if:

• You have a third-degree burn that has damaged all layers of your skin.
• You have a second-degree burn that isn’t healing.
• You have burns on more than 10% of your body.
• Your burns are in sensitive locations, like your face, hands, feet, genitals, or major joints.
• You have a lot of scarring or trouble moving.

What to expect during and after surgery

There are different surgery approaches the Burn Center can take to help you heal. After numbing you so you won’t feel pain during the procedure, your surgeons may:

• Remove dead or damaged skin.
• Use a skin graft (healthy skin from another area) to replace your damaged or missing skin.
• Use a skin flap (healthy skin, fat, and muscle from another area) if more coverage is needed.

Surgery may take up to three hours depending on what techniques are used, as well as the burn size and location. Many people go home within 24 hours of surgery, unless the burn is very large or there are other health concerns that require inpatient treatment.

Helping you manage pain 

The Burn Center uses different pain management techniques to help patients recover faster. Your team may give you burn medications orally (pills taken by mouth) or through an IV directly into your bloodstream. They may also give you burn cream to soothe your skin.

“We want every patient to feel heard throughout their care and recovery,” said Dr. Bregg. “We check in often and adjust your care based on how you feel.”

Outpatient recovery resources

Recovery doesn’t end after surgery. The burn care team may continue to treat your physical and emotional needs by connecting you with:

• Burn scar treatment using lasers to reduce or remove scars
• Support groups for you and your loved ones
• Healthcare@Home rehabilitation services to help you become more independent

West Penn Hospital’s Outpatient Burn Clinic also provides burn treatments and wound care to help with recovery once you leave the Burn Center. The Burn Clinic treats injuries such as:

• Chemical and electrical burns
• Infected wounds
• Frostbite
• Serious skin disorders

Here for your healing journey

Burn recovery takes time — but you’re not alone. Learn more about the services available to you at AHN West Penn Hospital’s Burn Center.