Reconstruction and Recovery After Massive Burn.

Background: Forty years ago, a 33-year-old female suffered a 35% total body surface area burn after the car in which she was a passenger caught fire in a rear-end collision. She experienced second- and third-degree burns of her face, head, back, arms, and hands.

Methods: After immediate burn resuscitation, the patient underwent approximately 40 reconstructive procedures over the course of the first 17 years after her burns.

Results: While finding social situations difficult to endure, the patient developed tools to help her face the public.

Conclusions: These tools included confident body language, verbal responses, and makeup application. This case report details surgical procedures the patient underwent and her own lasting contribution through establishing the first hospital-based Image Enhancement and Behavioral Skills program along with her extensive work with the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors.