Second-degree burn healing: the effect of occlusive dressings and a cream

Because occlusive dressings and some creams have been found to speed epithelialization of blade-induced wounds, we studied the effect of two occlusive dressings and a polyglycerylmethacrylate cream containing low concentration of fibronectin on epithelialization in second-degree burn wounds. Cylindrical brass rods were heated in a boiling water bath, removed, wiped dry, and placed (6 sec) on the skin of domestic pigs. The burned epidermis was removed and each burn wound was assigned to one of the following treatment groups: (1) air-exposed, (2) DuoDERM (hydrocolloid dressing; Squibb Co., New Jersey), (3) Opsite (polyurethane dressing; Smith & Nephew, New Jersey), or (4) experimental cream. Several burn wounds were excised from each treatment group on Days 6 to 14 after wounding. The excised burn wounds were incubated in 0.5 M NaBr for 24 hr which allowed separation of the epidermis from the dermis. The epidermis was examined macroscopically for defects in the area of the burn. Specimens were considered healed when a defect was not present. Neither of the occlusive dressings changed the rate of epithelialization as compared to air exposure. Wounds which were treated with the experimental cream epithelialized faster than the air-exposed wounds (P less than 0.025).