Improving partial-thickness burn pain and outcomes using cultured epithelial allografts or highly concentrated surfactant-based dressings.

Abstract

Objective: The prevention and treatment of burn wounds has improved over the years, leading to decreased incidence, severity and mortality. However, burn injuries, particularly partial-thickness burns, have a painful treatment course which, if not optimised, can cause undue suffering to patients and prolonged recovery. Although silver sulfadiazine has been the most commonly accepted treatment for partial-thickness burns due to its strong hindrance of infection, wide availability and low cost, it requires daily dressing changes which are labour intensive and painful. Exploring alternative techniques, such as using cultured keratinocytes, to prevent and treat burn wounds may provide a path to better optimising the path to recovery.

Method: This paper presents two cases that use two alternative treatments, either PluroGel (a gel surfactant, Medline Industries, US) or cultured keratinocytes, in the treatment of partial-thickness burns to minimise pain and enhance treatment experience.

Results: Using surfactant-based treatments, such as the gel surfactant, in partial-thickness burns exhibited prohealing outcomes via enhanced antimicrobial effects, a strengthened physical barrier and cell salvage.

Conclusion: Using cultured keratinocytes and a highly concentrated surfactant may achieve more rapid re-epithelialisation of partial-thickness burn wounds. These alternative techniques may offer significant advancement in the quality of care in burn injury treatment.