Author(s) Demling RH, DeSanti L, et al.

Journal Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries. Date of publication 1999 May 1;volume 25(3):256-61.

Abstract 1. Burns. 1999 May;25(3):256-61. Management of partial thickness facial burns (comparison of topical antibiotics and bio-engineered skin substitutes). Demling RH(1), DeSanti L. Author information: (1)Trauma and Burn Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. This study compared the effect of standard topical antibiotic management versus a biological skin substitute wound closure for mid-partial thickness burns of the face. Adult patients with mid-dermal facial burns produced by flash flames or flame exposure were studied using a randomized prospective study design. Total daily burn care time, pain (0-10 scale) and healing time were monitored. Immediately after partial thickness debridement, the entire face burn, including ears, was closed with a bioengineered skin substitute coated with fibronectin (TransCyte) or treated by the open technique using bacitracin ointment applied 2-3 times daily. 21 patients were studied, with 10 patients in the skin substitute group. We found a significant decrease in wound care time 0.35 +/- 0.1 versus 1.9 +/- 0.5 h, decrease in pain of 2 +/- 1 versus 4 +/- 2 and re-epithelialization time 7 +/- 2 versus 13 +/- 4 days in the skin substitute group compared to topical antibiotics. We can conclude that a bioengineered skin substitute significantly improves the management and healing rate of partial thickness facial burns, compared to the standard open topical ointment technique. PMID: 10323611 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Source ID (e.g. PMID): 10323611