title: Reduction in skin grafting after the introduction of hydrofiber dressings in partial thickness burns: a comparison between a hydrofiber and silver sulphadiazine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare clinical outcome of children with scald burns treated with a hydrofiber dressing (Aquacel(®), Convatec Inc.) with the former standard of care with silver sulfadiazine (Flammazine(®); Solvay Pharmaceuticals), considering surgical intervention and length of stay (LOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of all consecutive children from zero to four years with primary scald burns up to 10% admitted to the Burn Centre of the Maasstad Hospital Rotterdam between January 1987 and January 2010 were reviewed. For data collection a prospective computerized database was used. For comparison the study period was divided into two periods representing the period before and after the introduction of the hydrofiber dressing (HFD), respectively 1987-1999 (period 1) and 1999-2010 (period 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the whole study period 27.3% of 502 patients treated with silver sulfadiazine (Ag-SD) underwent surgery, while before the introduction of HFD 30.5% of 338 Ag-SD treated patients were operated upon. After the introduction of the HFD 20.7% of 164 patients treated with Ag-SD eventually underwent skin grafting, a significant difference with the 11.6% of 302 patients whose wounds were dressed with HFD (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to silver sulfadiazine treatment a reduced number of surgical interventions was observed in mixed partial thickness scald burns up to 10% TBSA burned in children aged 0-4 years after the introduction of hydrofiber dressings. The mode of treatment with this wound dressing also limited hospital length of stay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Burn Centre, Maasstad Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. dokterj@maasstadziekenhuis.nl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dokter
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boxma
authors.forename: I M M H
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Oen
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: van Baar
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: van der Vlies
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002056:Burns / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D004337:Drug Carriers; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine