title: Comparison of topical zinc oxide and silver sulfadiazine in burn wounds: an experimental study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to compare the effects of topical zinc oxide and topical silver sulfadiazine in the treatment of partial-thickness burn wounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted with 20 New Zealand rabbits, and burn wounds were created by a brass probe. The animals were randomly divided into two groups. The burns were treated with zinc oxide (Group O) or silver sulfadiazine (Group S) with daily application. The wound healing process was followed both clinically and histopathologically. We determined the days at which 50% and 80% re-epithelization was observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean time for 50% and 80% re-epithelization was 21.4 and 25.4 days in Group O and 25.8 and 30.2 days in Group S, respectively (p<0.001). The mean score for wound colonization was lower in Group O. The difference was statistically significant at weeks 2, 3, 4, and 6 (p<0.001). In the histopathological examination, the thicknesses of the epidermis, dermis and scar tissue were 0.12 mm, 3.80 mm and 244 mm in Group O, and 0.16 mm, 4.76 mm and 3.16 mm in Group S, respectively (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this experimental burn study, zinc oxide was more effective than silver sulfadiazine in terms of epithelization, dermis maturation and scar formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Konya Training and Research Hospital, Konya, Turkey. arslanka74@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karahan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okuş
authors.forename: Yaşar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Unlü
authors.forename: Mehmet Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Eryılmaz
authors.forename: Serden
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ay
authors.forename: Barış
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sevinç
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002056:Burns / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020405:Dermis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D004817:Epidermis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D015034:Zinc Oxide; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine