Chitosan-based dressing for the treatment of external/accessible bleedings in children with bleeding tendency

Bleeding episodes in patients with congenital or acquired bleeding disorders are usually managed with factor concentrates or blood products. However, external and accessible bleeds may effectively be managed with topical hemostasis.

After the application of the Hemcon, a Food and Drug Administration-approved chitosan-based hemostatic dressing was used as the "last resort" to successfully control external bleeds in 2 patients with severe bleeding disorders. We describe a single-center experience with this dressing, including its use in pediatric patients as the first mode of therapy.

A total of 5 patients (median age 2 y) with severe bleeding disorders were treated with topical chitosan-based dressing for a total of 6 bleeding episodes. The dressing was used either after the failure of extensive systemic therapy or as the first choice of treatment. In 4 of the 6 episodes, bleeding ceased immediately alleviating the need for systemic therapy. There was no rebleeding after the removal of the dressing and no adverse events or local skin reactions were recorded.

Hemostatic dressings, such as the chitosan, should be encouraged for the treatment of external/accessible bleeds, especially among the pediatric patients with bleeding tendency.