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Effect of precise partial scab removal on the repair of deep partial-thickness burn wounds in children: a
Yunfei Chi1, Huinan Yin1, Xin Chen1
1Burn Institute, The Fourth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Insights
Precise partial scab removal (PPSR) significantly speeds up healing for children with deep partial-thickness burn wounds (DPBWs). This method reduces fever duration, antibiotic use, and dressing changes compared to routine care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Wound Healing
- Burn Care
Background:
- Deep partial-thickness burn wounds (DPBWs) in children present unique treatment challenges.
- Surgical decisions for DPBWs require careful consideration to optimize outcomes.
- Evaluating novel techniques like precise partial scab removal (PPSR) is crucial for improving pediatric burn care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of precise partial scab removal (PPSR) in treating pediatric deep partial-thickness burn wounds (DPBWs).
- To compare PPSR with routine dressing change (RDC) methods in terms of key clinical outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 78 pediatric patients with DPBWs, divided into PPSR (n=37) and RDC (n=41) groups.
- PPSR involved early-stage scab removal using an electric dermatome set at 0.1 mm thickness.
- Outcomes including wound healing time, fever duration, antibiotic use, and hospitalization costs were compared.
Main Results:
- The PPSR group exhibited significantly shorter wound-healing times (19.86±6.4 days) compared to the RDC group (24.15±7.12 days).
- PPSR led to reduced fever duration (2.62±1.99 days vs. 4.44±3.10 days) and shorter antibiotic use (4.0±1.33 days vs. 4.83±1.88 days).
- Hospitalization costs were comparable between the two groups (P=0.9573).
Conclusions:
- Precise partial scab removal (PPSR) is an effective method for treating deep partial-thickness burn wounds in children.
- PPSR significantly shortens wound healing time and reduces associated complications such as fever and the need for antibiotics.
- The technique offers a promising alternative to routine dressing changes for pediatric burn management.
Background:
The choice of treatment methods for children with deep partial-thickness burn wounds (DPBWs) is an issue that requires careful consideration from surgeons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of precise partial scab removal (PPSR) in the treatment of DPBWs in children.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 78 children with DPBWs. The children were divided into a PPSR group (n=37) and a routine dressing change (RDC) group (n=41). In the PPSR group, an electric dermatome was used to cut the scab in the early post-injury period. The thickness scale of the electric dermatome was set to 0.1 mm. The scab was removed to the base with scattered bleeding points. There was still a small amount of necrotic tissue in the base of the wound. For the acellular dermal matrix, the first dressing change was about 1 week after surgery. The RDC group was given conventional wound-dressing treatment. The wound dressing was changed with epidermal growth factor, silver-zinc antibacterial cream, and dressing change. The frequency of dressing change was adjusted once a day or once every other day depending on the condition of wound secretions. The hospitalization time, wound-healing time, fever duration, antibiotic use time, number of subsequent operations, and overall hospitalization expenses were compared between the two groups.
Results:
The wound-healing time of the PPSR group was 19.86±6.4 days, and the wound-healing time of the RDC group was 24.15±7.12 days (P=0.0068). The duration of fever in the PPSR group and RDC group was 2.62±1.99 and 4.44±3.10 days, respectively (P=0.0032). The antibiotic use time in the PPSR group and RDC group was 4.0±1.33 and 4.83±1.88 days, respectively (P=0.0292). The overall hospitalization cost of the PPSR group and RDC group was yuan renminbi ¥37,852.84±10,894.64 and ¥38,047.46±19,450.37, respectively (P=0.9573).
Conclusions:
PPSR can shorten wound-healing time, reduce the frequency of dressing changes, shorten the time of fever in children, lower the frequency of antibiotic use, and decrease number of dressing changes on the wound.
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