A fibre-free alginate dressing in the treatment of split thickness skin graft donor sites.
BACKGROUND
Alginate dressings are gaining acceptance in would management although comparative published data with conventional treatment is inconclusive.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this randomised controlled study was to compare a fibre-free alginate dressing (Comfeel SeaSorb) with conventional treatment of standardised split-thickness skin graft donor sites in 17 patients regarding initial absorption of blood and healing.


RESULTS
The alginate dressing absorbed 40% (P < 0.05) more blood, measured as total iron content of used dressings, during the first 10 post-wounding minutes than fine mesh gauze, resulting in less subsequent bleeding. Light microscopic examination of punch biopsies obtained from 10 wounds on post-operative day 6 demonstrated that nine wounds treated with the alginate dressing compared with seven wounds treated conventionally with paraffin-impregnated gauze (Jelonet) were completely epithelialized, a statistically non-significant difference (P = 0.46).


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, the fibre-free alginate dressing showed increased initial blood absorption resulting in quicker haemostasis but showed no greater beneficial effect on epithelialisation of split-thickness skin graft donor sites compared with conventional topical treatment.
Steenfos
H H
HH
Department of Plastic Surgery, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Agren
M S
MS
D000042:Absorption; D000368:Aged; D000464:Alginates; D001458:Bandages; D001769:Blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014945:Wound Healing
D000464:Alginates