ABSTRACT
Objectives: This case control study aimed to investigate whether the routine hemogram and biochemical parameters of pediatric patients who have undergone surgery for inguinal hernia are associated with the etiopathogenesis of the disease. Methods: Eighty cases of inguinal hernia surgery performed between January 2019 and November 2022 were included in the study. A control group was also established using hospital records, consisting of eighty pediatric patients without any known history of hematological or metabolic disease or use of regular medication. Statistical analysis was conducted to compare the total hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Htc), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), erythrocyte distribution width (RDW) and thrombocyte (PLT) values in both groups. Results: The age range of the pediatric patients was 1-14 years. Of the eighty children, 47 (58.8%) were male and 33 (41.3%) were female, with a mean age of 5.79±3.26. The values of Hgb, Htc, MCH, MCHC, and MCV in the inguinal hernia patients were found to be statistically significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). Additionally, the patient RDW values were found to be statistically significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Compared to the control group, the observed decrease in MCH, MCHC, MCV, Hgb, HTC values, as well as the increase in RDW in patient group, suggests a predisposing effect of iron deficiency. These specific changes suggested that iron deficiency may lead structural changes in the collagen construction and may contribute the etiopathogenesis of childhood inguinal hernia.
ABSTRACT
An ideal dressing should ensure that the wound remains moist with exudates but not macerated. Currently, there is no dressing available to suit all wounds, at all stages of the healing process. Although silver-containing dressings are the gold standard for burn wound care, few high-level trials have been completed comparing the clinical utilities of these dressings. In our study, five different types of wound dressings: carboxymethyl cellulose hydrofiber dressing with ionized silver (CMCH-Ag), polyethylene-polyethylene terephthalate aqua fiber dressing with elementary silver (PPAF-Ag), calcium alginate (CA), calcium + zinc alginate (CZA), and 0.2% nitrofurazone-embedded (NF) gauze dressings were compared in regard to histopathological parameters. Children aged between 0 and 18 years with small or middle-sized partial-thickness burns that affected less than 30% of the total body surface area were included in this study. The study groups (CMCH-Ag, PPAF-Ag, CA, and CZA) and the control group (NF) were randomly attained. Wound healing was evaluated by punch biopsies on the 21st day. The thickness of the stratum corneum and the epithelium, the number of papillae, and the papillary length were calculated and compared. The histological parameters of healing, except the stratum corneum thickness, did not show any statistical significance among the groups (P > .05). The dressings that included silver, calcium, or zinc showed useful and similar effects in noninfective burn wounds when compared with nitrofurazone-only dressings. Thus, it may be concluded that silver-containing wound dressings should not be considered as the gold standard in noninfective partial-thickness burn wounds in children.
