contracture

noun

contracture

noun

/kənˈtɹæktjʊə(ɹ)/ · /kənˈtɹæktʃʊə(ɹ)/

Etymology From French contracture, from Latin contractura.

1

Medicine, Sciences An abnormal, sometimes permanent, contraction of a muscle or skin; a deformity so caused.

  • Even if in the initial phase of acute hand burn injury all treatment measures have been executed properly, postburn deformities still occur and are the most common cause of skin contracture in the hand. Postburn scarring and contractures affect the function as well as the aesthetic appearance of the hand and remain the most frustrating late complication of a hand burn.2010, Scott W. Wolfe, William C. Pederson, Robert N. Hotchkiss, Green's Operative Hand Surgery, Sixth Edition, page 2099:
  • In general, the technique resulted in faster healing, less car formation, and less contracture than pinch grafting.2022, Lindsey Fitzharris, The Facemaker, page 149:
Derived terms
acrocontracture, anticontracture, contractural, contractured, Dupuytren's contracture, hypercontracture, lethal congenital contracture syndrome

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.