Burn Surgery & Reconstruction

Overview

Many smaller burns can be cared for in an outpatient clinic but after a serious, large or complex burn, acute and reconstructive surgery are potential options.

When it comes to burns, every minute counts. Acute burn surgery typically happens immediately after a complex burn occurs and is delivered by our expert trauma surgeons in our verified UR Medicine Kessler Burn & Trauma Center with consults from our plastic and reconstructive surgery team. We are the only dedicated burn center in the Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region and are experienced in treating the gamut of cases, from minor injuries to severely burned patients.

After the initial burn wounds have been healed, some patients may need reconstructive burn surgery by a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Through plastic surgery, our goal is to improve both the cosmetic appearance of burn scars and the function of the area of the body that was impacted by the burn.

UR Medicine's Approach

UR Medicine and our Kessler Burn & Trauma Center provide burn care from the time of injury through long-term rehabilitation.

Throughout the healing process, we use the most advanced technologies and innovative treatments available, such as skin grafts, vacuum-assisted closure techniques (VAC) and reconstructive burn surgery.

Skin Graft Surgery: Skin graft surgery uses healthy skin "donated" from one area of a patient's body and transplanted to the injured area. When a patient's healthy skin is limited due to injury or is too weak, skin from another person, animal, or a manufactured skin substitute can be used. Another possibility is to use cultured skin—new skin grown in a lab from the patient's own skin cells.
Reconstructive Burn Surgery: UR Medicine’s Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery team provides both surgical and non-surgical treatment options for altering scar tissue and reconstructing areas of the skin impacted by complex burns. These treatments often take several months and will not remove the scars entirely but may help to improve function.

In addition to the Kessler Burn & Trauma Center, the UR Medicine Burn Clinic provides rapid care for people with burns that are not life-threatening. The Burn Clinic allows you to avoid a wait in one of our health system’s Emergency Departments.

What Sets Us Apart?

As the Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region's only dedicated burn center, we provide:

Access to the latest technology in burn reconstruction, along with treatments and therapies not available anywhere else in Western New York.
Expert burn surgeons who are also plastic and reconstructive surgeons, supported by a specialized team of doctors, nurses, therapists, and psychologists, all trained in burn care. Our surgeons perform hundreds of specialty procedures and surgeries every year, so your care is always in the hands of well-practiced experts.
Critical Care Transport Service for the Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region.
Comprehensive rehabilitation resources including nutritionists; social workers; child life specialists; and occupational, physical, and respiratory therapists.
In 1994, we partnered with Camp Good Days and Special Times and the Finger Lakes Regional Burn Association to create Burn Camp for Children, for children between the ages of 7 and 17 who have been treated for a burn injury in New York State or Ontario, Canada.