Koehler S, Jinbo A, Johnson S, Puapong D, de Los Reyes C, Woo R, et al.
Journal of pediatric surgery. Date of publication 2014 Jul 1;volume 49(7):1142-5.
1. J Pediatr Surg. 2014 Jul;49(7):1142-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2014.02.040. Epub
2014 Feb 17.
Negative pressure dressing assisted healing in pediatric burn patients.
Koehler S(1), Jinbo A(2), Johnson S(2), Puapong D(2), de Los Reyes C(3), Woo
R(2).
Author information:
(1)University of Hawaii - Hawaii Residency Programs, General Surgery, 1356
Lusitana Street Suite 510, Honolulu, HI 96813. Electronic address:
smk2@hawaii.edu.
(2)Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, Department of Pediatric
Surgery, 1319 Punahou St, Honolulu, HI 96826.
(3)Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, Department of Plastic
Surgery, 1319 Punahou St, Honolulu, HI 96826.
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Pediatric burn patients traditionally require multiple
dressing changes and significant amounts of narcotics. Negative pressure
dressings (NPDs) have emerged as an effective wound therapy that may represent an
alternative primary dressing for these patients.
METHODS: This is a single institution, retrospective study of pediatric burn
patients treated with NPDs over a defined 2 year period. Twenty-two patients were
identified and their charts reviewed for age, sex, mode of injury, location of
injury, degree of burn, length of stay, length of dressing required, number of
dressing changes, and narcotic use between dressing changes.
RESULTS: The average patient was 3.5 years old (range of 8 months to 10 years
old) with partial thickness burns involving 8.5% (range 3-18%) body surface area.
The average treatment regimen was 3.5 dressing changes more than 6.6 days, with a
mean hospital stay of 9.6 days. The average child received 9.4 total doses of
delivered narcotics during their inpatient care.
DISCUSSION: The use of NPD in pediatric burn patients does require sedation and
narcotics which limits its usefulness in the general pediatric burn population.
Yet, they adhere well and stay in place even on active children, they capture and
quantify fluid losses, they only require changes every 2-4 days and promote the
adherence of split thickness skin grafts making them useful in various clinical
situations.
CONCLUSIONS: NPDs are a viable option for both partial and full thickness burns
in pediatric patients that do not require transfer to a burn unit. NPDs may be
advantageous in highly active children, those with extensive fluid losses, those
that require sedation for dressing changes and those that will require grafting.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2014.02.040
PMID: 24952804 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
