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Wound bed preparation with Acticoat* dressing in plastic and reconstructive surgery ward
S78
Burns 3 3 S ( 2 0 0 7 ) S1–S172
Wound bed preparation with Acticoat* dressing in plastic and reconstructive surgery ward Rappl Th., Schintler M., Spendel St., Wittgruber G., Laback Ch., Janz A., Scharnagl E. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Univ. Hospital Graz, Austria E-mail address: [email protected] (Th. Rappl). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Acticoat* in difficult-to-heal, colonized wounds of various etiologies, with regard to bacterial load and in preparing the wound bed for other therapies. Acticoat* is a dressing containing nanocrystalline silver, indicated as an antimicrobial barrier, which protects the wound from bacterial infection. A total of 147 wounds of different aetiology were evaluated in the study. All wounds were sharp debrided and covered with Acticoat* . Dressing changes were carried out every 3 days. Five patients (three male, two female) had MRSA contaminated wounds (two burns, three leg ulcers). After 2 weeks of Acticoat* application bacterial eradication was done in every case. The antimicrobial effect was evaluated by bacterial cultures before the Acticoat* treatment, once a week during the therapy and after the treatment. Healing characteristics, formation of new granulation or epithelial tissue was monitored. After the use of nanocrystalline silver containing dressings a wound size reduction showed in 82% of the wounds. We could achieve a complete conservative wound closure of full thickness skin defects of the finger, of full thickness skin defects after breast surgery in any case and of leg ulcers in 20% depending on the ulcer extent. Bacterial reduction was monitored in 88% of the wounds and therefore postitive wound-bed preperation for following operations (in all burn patients and in 80% of the leg ulcer patients skin grafts were carried out, eight cases of the traumatic defect needed a flap for wound closure) could be achieved in 85%. Because of the antimicrobial activity and the excellent tolerance of nanocrystalline silver containing dressings we can recommend Actioat* for wound management in a wide range of application. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2006.10.184 Are there ethnic differences in perceived health status of young adults burned as children? Baker C.P., W. J.M. III, Mossberg K. The University of Texas Medical Branch, USA E-mail address: [email protected] (C.P. Baker). The purpose of this study was to investigate ethnic differences in the self-perceived health of young adults who had been burned as children. Eighty-five persons (42% female, 58% male), ages 18–28, completed the MOS Short Form 36 (SF-36) health status questionnaire. All had experienced burns covering at least 30% of their body surface, before the age of 18 years and at least 2 years before participating in the study. Seventy-one percent (n = 60) of the participants were Caucasian, 14% (n = 12) were AfricanAmerican, and 15% (n = 13) were Hispanic. All participants resided in the United States, primarily representing the southern and western states. The SF-36 assessed eight health concepts: physical functioning (PF), role physical (RF), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role emotional (RE) and mental health (MN). Means were calculated for each of the eight concepts for each ethnic group, as well as the two summary scores reflecting the Physical Component Scale (PCS) and Mental Component Scale (MCS). Comparisons were made between SF-36 scores and the three ethnic groups. All data were analyzed at an alpha level of 0.05 using SPSS statistical software. The mean values for the SF-36 domains showed that, overall, the burn survivors had scores similar to previously published norms for the US population. Parametric and non-parametric analyses revealed no significant differences in PCS or MCS scores for the three groups. African-American participants tended to have lower health concept scores overall, though not significantly. The unequal distribution of participants may have impacted the results. Conclusion: No differences were found in the perceived health of different ethnic groups, suggesting that burn professionals are doing a good job of meeting the rehabilitation needs of all of their clients. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2006.10.185 Thermal burn and electric shock injuries among electric utility workers Fordyce T.A., Kelsh M. Exponent Failure Analysis Associates, USA E-mail address: [email protected] (T.A. Fordyce). This study describes the occurrence of work-related injuries from thermal-, electrical-, and chemical-burns among electric utility workers. We describe injury trends by occupation, body part injured, age, sex, and circumstances surrounding the injury. This analysis includes all thermal, electric, and chemical burn injuries included in the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Occupational Health and Safety Database (OHSD). There were a total of 872 thermal burn and electric shock injuries, representing 3.7% of all injuries, but accounting for nearly 13% of all medical claim costs, second only to the medical costs associated with sprain- and strain-related injuries (38% of all injuries). The majority of burn injuries involved less than 1 day off work. The head,
Burns 3 3 S ( 2 0 0 7 ) S1–S172
Wound bed preparation with Acticoat* dressing in plastic and reconstructive surgery ward Rappl Th., Schintler M., Spendel St., Wittgruber G., Laback Ch., Janz A., Scharnagl E. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Univ. Hospital Graz, Austria E-mail address: [email protected] (Th. Rappl). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Acticoat* in difficult-to-heal, colonized wounds of various etiologies, with regard to bacterial load and in preparing the wound bed for other therapies. Acticoat* is a dressing containing nanocrystalline silver, indicated as an antimicrobial barrier, which protects the wound from bacterial infection. A total of 147 wounds of different aetiology were evaluated in the study. All wounds were sharp debrided and covered with Acticoat* . Dressing changes were carried out every 3 days. Five patients (three male, two female) had MRSA contaminated wounds (two burns, three leg ulcers). After 2 weeks of Acticoat* application bacterial eradication was done in every case. The antimicrobial effect was evaluated by bacterial cultures before the Acticoat* treatment, once a week during the therapy and after the treatment. Healing characteristics, formation of new granulation or epithelial tissue was monitored. After the use of nanocrystalline silver containing dressings a wound size reduction showed in 82% of the wounds. We could achieve a complete conservative wound closure of full thickness skin defects of the finger, of full thickness skin defects after breast surgery in any case and of leg ulcers in 20% depending on the ulcer extent. Bacterial reduction was monitored in 88% of the wounds and therefore postitive wound-bed preperation for following operations (in all burn patients and in 80% of the leg ulcer patients skin grafts were carried out, eight cases of the traumatic defect needed a flap for wound closure) could be achieved in 85%. Because of the antimicrobial activity and the excellent tolerance of nanocrystalline silver containing dressings we can recommend Actioat* for wound management in a wide range of application. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2006.10.184 Are there ethnic differences in perceived health status of young adults burned as children? Baker C.P., W. J.M. III, Mossberg K. The University of Texas Medical Branch, USA E-mail address: [email protected] (C.P. Baker). The purpose of this study was to investigate ethnic differences in the self-perceived health of young adults who had been burned as children. Eighty-five persons (42% female, 58% male), ages 18–28, completed the MOS Short Form 36 (SF-36) health status questionnaire. All had experienced burns covering at least 30% of their body surface, before the age of 18 years and at least 2 years before participating in the study. Seventy-one percent (n = 60) of the participants were Caucasian, 14% (n = 12) were AfricanAmerican, and 15% (n = 13) were Hispanic. All participants resided in the United States, primarily representing the southern and western states. The SF-36 assessed eight health concepts: physical functioning (PF), role physical (RF), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role emotional (RE) and mental health (MN). Means were calculated for each of the eight concepts for each ethnic group, as well as the two summary scores reflecting the Physical Component Scale (PCS) and Mental Component Scale (MCS). Comparisons were made between SF-36 scores and the three ethnic groups. All data were analyzed at an alpha level of 0.05 using SPSS statistical software. The mean values for the SF-36 domains showed that, overall, the burn survivors had scores similar to previously published norms for the US population. Parametric and non-parametric analyses revealed no significant differences in PCS or MCS scores for the three groups. African-American participants tended to have lower health concept scores overall, though not significantly. The unequal distribution of participants may have impacted the results. Conclusion: No differences were found in the perceived health of different ethnic groups, suggesting that burn professionals are doing a good job of meeting the rehabilitation needs of all of their clients. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2006.10.185 Thermal burn and electric shock injuries among electric utility workers Fordyce T.A., Kelsh M. Exponent Failure Analysis Associates, USA E-mail address: [email protected] (T.A. Fordyce). This study describes the occurrence of work-related injuries from thermal-, electrical-, and chemical-burns among electric utility workers. We describe injury trends by occupation, body part injured, age, sex, and circumstances surrounding the injury. This analysis includes all thermal, electric, and chemical burn injuries included in the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Occupational Health and Safety Database (OHSD). There were a total of 872 thermal burn and electric shock injuries, representing 3.7% of all injuries, but accounting for nearly 13% of all medical claim costs, second only to the medical costs associated with sprain- and strain-related injuries (38% of all injuries). The majority of burn injuries involved less than 1 day off work. The head,