title: Use of Medihoney as a non-surgical therapy for chronic pressure ulcers in patients with spinal cord injury.
abstract: METHODS
  Prospective, observational study of 20 spinal cord-injured (SCI) patients with chronic pressure ulcers (PUs) using Medihoney.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of Medihoney by bacterial growth, wound size and stage of healing in PUs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We treated 20 SCI adult patients with chronic PUs using Medihoney. In all, 7 patients (35%) were female, and 13 (65%) were male. The average patient age was 48.7 years (30-79). In all, 6 patients (30%) were tetraplegic and 14 (70%) were paraplegic. Also, 5 patients (25%) had grade IV ulcers and 15 patients (75%) had grade III ulcers according to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 1 week of treatment with Medihoney, all swabs were void of bacterial growth. Overall 18 patients (90%) showed complete wound healing after a period of 4 weeks, and the resulting scars were soft and elastic. No negative effects were noted from the treatment using Medihoney. No blood sugar level derailment was documented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The medical-honey approach to wound care must be part of a comprehensive conservative surgical wound-care concept. Our study indicates the highly valuable efficacy of honey in wound management and infection control as measured by bacterial growth, wound size and healing stage.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Querschnittgelähmte und Technische Orthopädie der BG-Unfallklinik, Ludwigshafen, Germany. biglari@bgu-ludwigshafen.de
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biglari
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: vd Linden
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aytac
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gerner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moghaddam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006722:Honey; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000150:complications*; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D014945:Wound Healing