Dressing Materials in the STSG Donor Site Management: A Comparative Study

ABSTRACT

Split-thickness skin graft is a frequent, necessary method of treatment in burn patients. After harvesting a split thickness skin graft, there is a variety of options in the post-operative management of the donor site created. Dressing materials provide an occlusive and wet environment and aids in superior wound healing. Of the commercially available dressing materials, Medifoam(R), Allevin(R) and Polymem(R) are the most commonly used materials during the early phases of epithelization. Medifoam-B(R) is a more absorbant dressing material compared to other dressing materials. Its swelling ratio is 1200% and it contains a layer of wound promoters and antibiotics. The purpose of this study is to compare medifoam-B(R), Allevyn(R) and Polymem(R) in the healing time, infection rate, absorption ratio and pain degree. This study is based on 30 patient who underwent split-thickness skin graft in Hanil General Hospital from March 2002 to July 2002. All skin grafts were harvested with an electric dermatome, with a thickness depth of 0.012 to 0.016 inches. Three divisions of each donor site was managed separately with each different materials through postoperative days 0 to 1. Absorption property, infection rate, pain degree, time to complete epithelization were assessed. Medifoam-B(R) performed superior to Allevyn(R), Polymem(R). In conclusion, We suggest Medifoam-B(R) as a useful alternative in the management of the split-thickness donor site wound in the early phases.