Effect of Wound Healing by Physiotulle® in Donor Site of Split-Thickness Skin Graft

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Split thickness skin graft (STSG) is frequently used for reconstructing wounds. The treatment of split-thickness donor sites demands several factors: maintenance a moist condition, minimization of pain, promotion of re-epithelization and ease of care. We have performed a study to evaluate efficacy of Physiotulle® for donor site management. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted from June 2015 to December 2015 and included 20 patients undergoing surgery for reconstructive purposes with the use of STSG. The grafts harvested with a same manner and the donor sites were managed with one of the two dressing material: Physiotulle® or Bactigras®. We campared post-operative pain scale, bleeding of donor site, period of re-epithelization and donor site infection. RESULTS: All of 20 patients were well healed after application of Physiotulle® or Bactigras® dressing without any complications. Pain level was similar between two groups until 3 days after operation but Physiotulle® (4.1±0.233) showed significant (P<0.01) pain increasing on 7 days after operation compared with Bactigras® (2.9±0.277). The bleeding index score on 7 days after operation of Physiotulle® (2.5±0.167) was higher than Bactigras® (2.0±0.211) but there is no difference. Statistically (**P<0.01), the period of re-eopithelization of Physiotulle® (13.50±0.87) was significantly shorten than Bactigras® (17.25±0.65). CONCLUSION: Physiotulle® is effective in re-epithelization. We recommend applying ointment on donor site when exudate is minimized, about 7 days after operation to prevent aggravation of pain and bleeing of donor site.