Use of Leptospermum Honey helps Bridge the gap from Inflammation to Proliferation Phase

Objective- To assist complex wound progression from the inflammatory phase into proliferative phase at an increased rate using Leptospermum honey (LH).

Methodology-

Patient #1- Patient was a 65 year old female admitted with sepsis. Medical history included multiple strokes, dementia, and a stage IV sacral pressure ulcer.  Initial measurements were 6.5cm x 6.5cm x 1cm with undermining from 1-3 = 1.5cm. After unsuccessful treatments including negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) and skin grafting, LH was started on April 14.  Complete wound closure occurred in five months.

Patient #2- Patient was a 44 year old female admitted with an infection s/p guillotine above the knee amputation. Past medical history includes MI, PVD, DM, HTN, and ESRD. The wound measured 27.6cm x 24.2cm x 2.5cm, exposed femur, necrotic tissue, and foul odor with copious tan/green drainage. NPWT was unsuccessfully utilized. After starting LH, a significant resolution in odor, necrotic tissue and purulent drainage was noted. The wound progressed to 21.5cm x 19cm x 2cm over 2 weeks with clean, granulation tissue present. 

Patient #3- Patient was a 64 year old female admitted for lysis of adhesions, s/p surgery for ovarian cancer. Her abdominal wound dehisced on post-operative day # 2 and a small bowel fistula developed. After an initial period of two weeks treatment with NPWT and 6 weeks of Xeroform and gauze dressings, LH was initiated with a wound size of 5.5cm x 2.5cm x 2cm. The wound decreased in size to 3.7cm x 2cm x.1cm in 3 weeks.

Results- All three wounds were efficiently debrided and healed or decreased in size, despite initial large wound size and gross contamination including stool.

Conclusion- These large wounds with heavy bioburden and necrotic tissue, stagnant in the inflammatory phase, showed progression to the proliferative phase using LH when other wound treatment modalities failed.