title: Treatment of soft tissue defects with exposed bone in the head and face region with alginates and hydrocolloid dressings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In cases of soft tissue defects with exposed bone surfaces in the head and face region, there is the option of treating the defect with free split-thickness skin grafts following appropriate wound granulation. Secondary granulation on free bone surfaces is often a lengthy process, as granulation primarily occurs from the edges of the wound. Hydrocolloid dressings are gaining increasing attention in this context. The question arises as to whether the positive properties of hydrocolloid dressings can bring about rapid and positive conditioning of the base of the wound in soft tissue defects with exposed bone in the head and face region, with a view to subsequent split-thickness skin graft transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the period from 1997 to 2000, a total of 25 patients with soft tissue defects with exposed bone surfaces in the head and face region were treated with hydrocolloid dressings in the framework of a prospective clinical study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average time taken for complete granulation of the bone surface was 39.44 days (minimum, 10 days; maximum, 72 days). As a rule, this necessitated 12.8 changes of dressing (minimum, 3; maximum, 26). The granulation tissue was of good quality, generously vascularized, and occasionally exuberant at the edges of the wound
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the whole, the combination of hydrocolloid dressing and alginate compress was found to have significant advantages as regards conditioning the exposed bone surface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Bonn, Germany. Vonlindern@mkgchirurg.de
authors.forename: Jens J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: von Lindern
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Niederhagen
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Appel
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergé
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000464:Alginates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047070:Bandages, Hydrocolloid; D001842:Bone and Bones; D003102:Colloids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006097:Granulation Tissue / Q000502:physiology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D003102:Colloids; D009930:Organic Chemicals; C093472:comfeel