Comparison of Three Methods of Dressings for Split Thickness Skin Graft Donor Site - Non Woven Dressing Impregnated with Amorphous Hydrogel, Amorphous Hydrogel with Colloidal Silver and Conventional Paraffin Gauze Dressing

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Skin grafting is a common reconstructivetechnique done in plastic surgery. Management of split skingraft donor sites are targeted at promoting faster healing,minimizing pain and complications. A vast number ofdressing options for donor sites are available. Search for abetter dressing method continues. Aim of this study was todetermine the best method of dressing the donor site amongthree different methods with respect to the rate of healing,pain, exudates and infection.Material and methods: Institutional ethical clearance andpatient consent was obtained prior to start of the study. Basedon investigator’s previous clinical experience, sample sizeof 75 was arrived at with a power of 80%. Patients wererandomly divided into 3 groups by Graph Pad quick calccomputing provided by statistician. Group A- dressings withconventional paraffin gauze. Group B-dressings with nonwoven dressings impregnated with amorphous hydrogel.Group C- dressings with amorphous hydrogel with colloidalsilver and paraffin gauze. Statistical analysis was done byAnova and Kruskal Wallis Test.Results: Median healing percentage was 98%, 96% and 99%in groups A, B, C respectively on 8th post operative day. Thisdifference was statistically significant (P=0.033). Pain scoreon post op day 3 was lower in group C (P=0.08). Two patientshad infection one in group b and one in group c, which was notstatistically significant.Conclusion: Patients undergoing dressings with amorphoushydrogel with colloidal silver and paraffin gauze had fasterhealing and experienced lower pain.