Orthopaedic Wire Debridement: A Novel Surgical Technique for Hypergranulated Burn Wounds.

The burn wound healing process can be protracted due to various factors, including burn depth, infection and hypergranulation. Hypergranulation impedes epithelialisation macroscopically by preventing cellular migration across the wound bed and microscopically through cell-to-cell signal interferences. Debridement, which is the act of removing necrotic tissue, hypergranulation, slough and foreign debris from the wound in order to expose the underlying viable bed, can be achieved using various techniques. This aids with wound bed preparation to facilitate and expedite healing. In this article, we present a novel surgical debridement technique using a malleable orthopaedic cerclage wire for the management of a hypergranulated burn wound.

Circumcision for prevention against HIV: marked seasonal variation in demand and potential public sector readiness in Soweto, South Africa.

The public sector delivery of male circumcision in the only public sector hospital in Soweto, South Africa was examined to gauge local capacity to deliver this procedure as an intervention for prevention of HIV acquisition. During the period from July 1998 to March 2006, approximately 360 procedures were performed per annum. Striking seasonal variations and the relatively few procedures performed may create challenges for program planning, if male circumcision is increased to a level required to have an impact on the incidence of HIV among this population.