Why a Treatment Name Tells the Team Almost Nothing
A line such as 'skin graft in 2019' or 'scar release' identifies a procedure but not its result. Two patients can have the same operation name and arrive with completely different scars, contractures, sensation and movement. A reconstructive surgeon reading only the name cannot tell whether the previous surgery helped, failed, partially worked, or created a new problem that now needs revision.
Burn care can include surgery to repair wounds or reconstruct damaged skin. That is the general principle. What matters for your enquiry is the outcome of the treatment you already had: how the skin healed, how the scar behaves, what movement is possible, and what remains difficult. The receiving team decides whether further reconstruction is suitable. Your job is to give them enough detail to make that judgement.
This is also why 'I had burn reconstruction before' is a weak opening. It does not say whether the previous reconstruction was on the hand, the neck, the face or a joint; whether it involved a graft, a flap or a release; or whether the result lasted. The team needs the result, not the label.
What to Describe About Each Previous Treatment
For every previous treatment, write a short structured entry rather than a single line. Include the date or approximate year, the hospital and city if you know them, the body area treated, and the reason it was done. Then describe the result in plain language.
The result description is the part most patients omit. Cover these points for each treatment:
How did the wound or scar heal? Did it close fully, or did some areas remain open or break down later?
How does the scar look and feel now? Is it raised, tight, thick, pale, dark, painful, itchy or numb?
How does it move? Can you stretch the area fully, or does tightness limit movement?
What function changed after the treatment? Did you regain grip, elbow straightening, neck rotation, mouth opening or walking ability, or did the improvement fade?
What problems remain? Name the specific activities you cannot do, such as holding a cup, turning your head while driving, wearing a shoe, or lifting a child.
If you do not know the exact procedure name, say so. 'I was told a piece of skin was moved, but I do not have the operation note' is more useful than inventing a term. The team can request the record or work from the description.
Function Goals: Say What You Want to Do Again
Reconstruction is planned around function and coverage, not around a scar photograph alone. Tell the team which daily activities are affected and what you hope to regain. This turns a vague request into a concrete goal the surgeon can assess.
Examples of useful goal statements: 'I cannot fully straighten my right elbow, so I cannot reach a shelf above shoulder height.' 'Scar tightness across my neck pulls when I look up, which affects driving.' 'I cannot open my mouth wide enough to eat normally.' 'The scar on my foot makes wearing closed shoes painful.' 'I want to return to work that requires gripping tools.'
Goals also help the team explain trade-offs. A release may improve movement but leave a new grafted area that needs protection while it heals. A staged plan may spread procedures over time. The treating clinician must explain the realistic options, alternatives and restrictions for your case. Ask how staged reconstruction and rehabilitation would be scheduled, and what each stage is expected to achieve.
Do not assume a particular operation is the answer. Ask what the team would consider, what it would involve, and what recovery and therapy would look like for you.
Records and Photographs That Support the Description
Your written description should be backed by whatever records you can obtain. Ask the previous hospital for operation notes, discharge summaries, pathology or histology reports if any, and clinic letters. If you have imaging, include the reports. If you do not have them, say which documents are missing rather than waiting indefinitely before making contact.
Photographs are often as useful as text. Take clear, well-lit images of the scar and the affected area at rest and during movement. Include a view that shows the joint or body part in a functional position, such as a hand trying to make a fist or a neck turning. Avoid filters. Label each photograph with the date and what it shows.
A short video can show movement better than a still image, for example a shoulder lift or a knee bend. Keep it brief and steady. Do not send graphic wound images without being asked. If the area is currently broken, infected, bleeding or rapidly changing, that is a different clinical situation and needs local urgent assessment rather than an elective reconstruction enquiry.
When you contact a hospital or coordination service, start with a brief summary and your main question. Explain how you can share records after first contact. Do not send passport numbers, card details or a complete medical archive in the first message.
Questions That Turn Your History Into a Plan
Once the team has your description, records and photographs, ask specific questions. The answers will tell you whether a records-based opinion is worthwhile and what would need to be confirmed in person.
Ask which previous treatments are relevant to the current problem and which are not. Ask whether the team needs any additional imaging, tests or clinical photographs before giving an opinion. Ask how many stages they would anticipate and how those stages would be spaced, understanding that this is an estimate to confirm after examination. Ask what rehabilitation would be needed between stages and who would provide it. Ask what the written plan and quote would include, exclude, or leave undecided until assessment.
Also ask what the team cannot determine from records alone. Scar quality, skin elasticity, joint contracture and tissue condition are often assessed in person. A remote review can identify whether you are a plausible candidate for assessment, but it does not establish final suitability, surgical planning or hospital acceptance. The hospital decides suitability.
If you are considering care in China, you can ask how the hospital handles international patients, what language support is available, and how follow-up after you return home would be arranged. These are practical questions, not clinical promises.
A Practical Way to Prepare Your Summary
Write one page, not a full archive. Use a simple structure: a short opening paragraph about the original burn and when it happened; a dated list of each previous treatment with its result; a functional section describing what you can and cannot do; your goals; and a list of the records and photographs you can provide.
Keep the language factual. Avoid 'the surgery failed' unless you can say what did not work. 'The graft healed but the scar tightened again over about a year, and now I cannot fully straighten the elbow' is more useful. Avoid guessing at causes or diagnoses. If you are unsure, write 'I do not know' or 'I was told, but I do not have the record'.
Before sending, check that each previous treatment has a date, a body area, a reason and a result. Check that your functional goals are specific. Check that you have said which records are available and which are missing. This preparation is what allows a reconstructive team to give a meaningful opinion rather than a generic reply.
An initial enquiry is free and does not require buying a proxy consultation. You can start with a brief summary by the enquiry form, email or WhatsApp. The team can then tell you what information is missing and what the relevant next step would be. For the procedure itself, see the burn reconstruction reference page.
Sources & scope of this guide
References and official service information relevant to this guide.
This is general planning information and has not been individually reviewed by a doctor. Medical decisions and personal treatment advice come from your treating clinicians.