Dermasorb versus Jelonet in patients with burns skin graft donor sites

A prospective and randomized trial that compares Jelonet (Smith & Nephew PLC, London, England) with a new hydrocolloid dressing, Dermasorb (Convatec Ltd., Clwyd, United Kingdom), is presented. The dressings were applied on contiguous donor sites in 21 patients that required skin grafting for burn wounds. Pain experienced with the dressing in situ was assessed on days 2, 4, 7, and on two subsequent occasions. During dressing changes, pain experienced was again assessed, bacteriologic swabs were taken, and the percentage of epithelialization was recorded. Questionnaires completed by investigators and patients were used to assess the perceived performances of both dressings. The results showed that Dermasorb is a less painful dressing than Jelonet, in which wounds heal faster. Dermasorb was preferred by both investigators and patients. No clinical or laboratory evidence of any differences of colonization or infection were found. All results were statistically significant. We would strongly recommend the use of Dermasorb as a split-thickness skin graft donor site dressing for a patient with burns.