Utilizing a Unique Burn and Wound Dressing in Pediatric Patients to Facilitate a Moist Wound Environment for Autolytic Debridement

The first step in wound care is debridement, which can be done a number of ways. However, with pediatric patients, the debridement method of choice must not only be effective but as gentle as possible. A new burn and wound dressing has a surfactant component with provides unique micelle properties. This dressing is also cell-friendly, biocompatible, and 100% water-soluble. This combination allows for gentle dressing application and changes, as the water-soluble translucent gel dissolves for less crusting, fast dressing changes and less pain. Due to the unique properties of the dressing, it was evaluated on pediatric patients with wounds with nonviable, necrotic tissue that required autolytic debridement.

A convenience sample of patients whose injuries required debridement was included in the study. Wounds of various etiologies were included in the study. At presentation, the burn and wound dressing was applied directly to the wound and covered with a secondary dressing. The parents were then instructed to do the dressing changes at home, between weekly clinic visits. At the weekly clinic visits, mechanical debridement was performed on all loose, nonviable tissue. Time to resolution was tracked.

The burn and wound dressing with micelle technology promoted a moist wound healing environment and less painful dressing changes. The dressing changes were easy for the parents. No adverse events, such as skin irritation, were seen.