RESUMO
Amniotic membrane in fresh or freeze dried from has been used at times in the management of burn wounds as a biological dressing. One of the qualities with which it is credited [by virtue of animal studies] is the reduction of the bacterial count of burn wounds. The present study was designed to test this claim in human burn wounds in a prospective controlled trial. Acute burn cases matched for age, sex and burn extent were randomly assigned to three group i.e. fresh membrane freeze dried membrane, and saline soaked gauze. The wound was tangentially excised and four biopsy samples one from each corner of the test site were taken on day zero, two, four and six. Each sample was weighed, homogenized and inoculated on blood agar plates. Colony counts were made at 24 hours. The results revealed that in the membrane groups by day four a decrease in the bacterial count begins which by day six becomes statistically significant as opposed to the controls [saline soaked]. The bacterial counts showed no statistically significant difference between the fresh and freeze dried membrane group. We conclude that amniotic membrane in either or properly prepared and used can contribute in diminishing the bacterial colonization of burn wounds of moderate extent [2-40% total body surface area]