Search Results (4)

Background: In burn care, achieving swift healing with minimal complications remains paramount. This investigation assesses the role of polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) in managing pediatric superficial partial-thickness burns, focusing on the effects of various patient-specific factors on recovery. Methods: Through a retrospective analysis of 27 pediatric cases treated with PHMB, we evaluated the impact of age, burn size, dressing frequency, treatment delay, cold therapy application, and analgesic usage on the time until reepithelialization (TTRE). Results: The majority of patients benefited from early cold therapy, yet only 1 in 3 patients received analgesics. A mean healing time of 8.78 (SD: 2.64) days was observed, with the extent of the burn showing a strong correlation (r: 0.63) to TTRE. Most treatments were managed outpatient, evidenced by a negligible average hospital stay (0.96 days), with recorded no complications. Conclusions: Our findings endorse PHMB as a promising treatment for superficial second-degree burns in young patients, due to the observed stable and rapid wound closure without the association of increased risks. Continued exploration into the optimal application of prehospital interventions and the comprehensive benefits of PHMB in pediatric burn management is necessary. Future research should assess long-term outcomes, including functionality, scar quality, and patient satisfaction. Full article

Pediatric burns represent a significant public health problem. We analyzed the characteristics of pediatric burns in a reference center, in order to identify better strategies for prevention and care. Burn patients admitted to the pediatric departments of our hospital from January 2020 to June 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. Age, gender, the etiology of injuries, the total burn surface area (TBSA), the degree of burns, the length of hospital stay (LOS), concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection, and burn surface microbial colonization were analyzed. Forty-seven patients were included in the analysis (M:F = 1:0.67). Most of the cases involved patients between 0 and 4 years of age (83%). Hot liquid burns accounted for 79% of cases, flame burns for 9%, thermal burns for 6%, scald burns for 4% and chemical burns for 2%. Mean TBSA was 14 ± 11%. A second-degree lesion was detected in 79% of patients and third-degree in 21%. Mean LOS was 17 days. No additional infection risks or major sequelae were reported in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fifteen different species of bacteria plus C. parapsilosis were isolated, while no anaerobic microorganisms were detected. In the light of our experience, we recommend a carefully planned and proactive management strategy, always multidisciplinary, to ensure the best care for the burned child. Full article

Background: Thermal injuries represent a highly relevant epidemiologic problem with 11 million individuals affected globally each year, of which around 2.75 million are children. Different approaches to the conservative treatment of second-degree burns have been widely discussed in the existing literature. One method that has attracted increasing attention is the use of caprolactone dressings. This paper describes a study involving the therapeutic management of 2084 pediatric patients suffering from mixed superficial and deep dermal second-degree burns who received comprehensive expert treatment using caprolactone membranes at the pediatric hospital AUF DER BULT. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the frequency and effect of caprolactone membrane usage on children who were admitted to the pediatric hospital between 2002 and 2016 with mixed second-degree burns. The number of dressing changes under general anesthesia and the requirement for split thickness skin grafting were monitored and recorded. In addition, a cost comparison analysis of different treatment modalities was performed. Results: This retrospective study involved 2084 children who had been treated for mixed superficial and deep dermal burns between 2002 and 2016 using either caprolactone dressing (Suprathel^®) (study group; n = 1154) or an alternative dressing material (control group; n = 930). Of the patients in the study group, 91.74% (n = 1053) were treated conservatively compared to 76.05% of the control group patients, meaning that 8.26% (n = 101) of the study group patients required skin grafting, compared to 23.95% (n = 223) in the control group. Additionally, the number of procedures under general anesthesia per patient was found to be 54.3% lower among all patients treated with caprolactone dressing (1.75 procedures per patient) compared to the entire control group (3.22 procedures per patient). In the subgroups, patients treated conservatively with caprolactone dressing required 1.42 procedures per patient compared to 2.25 procedures per patient in patients with alternative wound treatment. When split thickness skin grafting was necessary, 1.2 times as many procedures were performed on patients with alternative dressing compared to those treated with caprolactone dressing. Finally, the cost per patient was considerably lower in the conservative therapy group in comparison to the group that consisted of patients undergoing operative therapy with split thickness skin grafting. Conclusions: Caprolactone dressings were found to be beneficial for children who reported with mixed superficial and deep dermal burns. Specifically, they reduced the need for skin transplantation, the number of dressing changes under general anesthesia, and the treatment costs. Full article

Progenitor Biological Bandages (PBB) have been continuously applied clinically in the Lausanne Burn Center for over two decades. Vast translational experience and hindsight have been gathered, specifically for cutaneous healing promotion of donor-site grafts and second-degree pediatric burns. PBBs constitute combined Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products, containing viable cultured allogeneic fetal dermal progenitor fibroblasts. Such constructs may partly favor repair and regeneration of functional cutaneous tissues by releasing cytokines and growth factors, potentially negating the need for subsequent skin grafting, while reducing the formation of hypertrophic scar tissues. This retrospective case-control study (2010–2018) of pediatric second-degree burn patients comprehensively compared two initial wound treatment options (i.e., PBBs versus Aquacel^® Ag, applied during ten to twelve days post-trauma). Results confirmed clinical safety of PBBs with regard to morbidity, mortality, and overall complications. No difference was detected between groups for length of hospitalization or initial relative burn surface decreasing rates. Nevertheless, a trend was observed in younger patients treated with PBBs, requiring fewer corrective interventions or subsequent skin grafting. Importantly, significant improvements were observed in the PBB group regarding hypertrophic scarring (i.e., reduced number of scar complications and related corrective interventions). Such results establish evidence of clinical benefits yielded by the Swiss fetal progenitor cell transplantation program and favor further implementation of specific cell therapies in highly specialized regenerative medicine. Full article