RESUMO
Introduction: The care of patients with burns is complex, expensive, and tedious, months of hospitalization may be necessary during acute phase, and later on, many reconstructive surgical procedures are required. A study has been conducted to assess the efficacy of amniotic membrane as a temporary biological dressing and its feasibility for clinical application. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 cases of superficial burns wounds were studied over 2-year study period with age range between 2 and 41 years and up to 35% of superficial burns area, including cause of burns may be flame burn, chemical burn or hot liquid burns and presented at hospital within 48 h. Results: Flame burns exceeded in causing burns than hot liquids. By providing a cover, the membrane-like other biological dressing, protects the wound from the environment and reduces heat and fluid loss, relieves pain in partial thickness burns. In the majority of patients, the parts most commonly affected were abdomen, chest, and lower limbs. It was observed that partial thickness bums healed without any further treatment. The superficial partial thickness burns healed completely after the application of the membrane. Amniotic membrane is helpful to control of pain and fluid loss, control of bacterial growth and it is effective vapor and exudate barrier and also helpful to reduce the duration of hospitalization. Conclusion: The use of an amniotic membrane as a biological dressing for thermal injury is simple, cheap, and found to be superior to allografts and xenografts. The membrane prevents fluid and heat loss from surface wounds and acts as a barrier against bacterial contamination thus aiding the healing process and reducing the morbidity. Another clinically significant and important property of the membrane is its ability to affect marked relief of pain.