title: Application of cerium nitrate-silver sulphadiazine allows for postponement of excision and grafting.
abstract: Early excision and grafting cannot always be performed due to patient's medical status, and the lack of adequate donor sites. The use of cerium nitrate-silver sulphadiazine cream, which causes the formation of a leather-like eschar with excellent resistance to infection, is an alternative method. In order to postpone operations by using cerium nitrate-silver sulphadiazine, we compared the differences in contamination of the grafted areas between early and delayed excision. Eighteen patients underwent excision and grafting within 5 days post burn and nineteen patients were surgically treated after 5 days. Twelve months later the grafted areas were evaluated. Contamination of the grafted area occurred in 17 patients. No differences in contamination occurred between the early and delayed excision group, 8 versus 9. Also no differences in type of organism cultured and follow-up results were found between the early and delayed excision group. Cerium nitrate-silver sulphadiazine allows surgical treatment to be delayed without an increase of contamination of the grafted area and does not adversely affect the long-term outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic en Reconstructive Surgery, Hand Surgery, Carim Institute, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands. info@vehmeijer.nl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vehmeyer-Heeman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tondu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van den Kerckhove
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boeckx
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002056:Burns / Q000601:surgery*; D002563:Cerium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; C032786:cerium nitrate; D002563:Cerium; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine