Mohan1, Aravind Naik2, T. R. Nagarjuna3
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Burns are complex in their occurrence, pathophysiology and management. It is a painful condition and topical management of burns is a challenging task. A topical dressing which allows faster healing with reduction of pain, prevents infection, which is cost effective and leads to a good scar formation is required. Over the period of time collagen has created an interest among scientists who have extensively researched about collagen and its properties have been utilized in topical management of wounds and burns. Thus there is a need to study the effectiveness of collagen dressing in comparison with conventional silver sulphadiazine dressing in terms of pain score, healing time and cost efficiency. METHODS: This prospective randomized comparative study includes patients with partial thickness burns, <40%BSA and not older than 48hrs, admitted in Burns unit of K.R. Hospital attached to MMC & RI, from January 2012 to July 2013. 60 patients were studied, these patients were randomized into collagen dressing or silver sulphadiazine dressing group of 30 each. RESULTS: The average pain score recorded using visual analog scale with range 0-10 was 4.5 in collagen group and 5.63 in SSD group on Day 1, 2.033 and 4.566 on Day 2, 1.366 and 3.533 on day 7 and 0.566 and 3.033 in collagen and SSD group respectively. Wound healing time in Collagen group was 13.2 days while in SSD it was 19.533 days. Infection rate was significantly lower, 13% in collagen group but 33% in the SSD group. Resultant scar was good in 87% of patients in collagen group while 53% in SSD group. Collagen Sheet is estimated to cost a little higher than silver sulphadiazine ointment. But when compared to the number of dressings and the total cost, the pain, prolonged hospital stay, burden to the accompanying person and loss of labor in patients in SSD group, collagen can be considered more cost effective. CONCLUSION: Collagen sheet is an ideal topical dressing agent in management of partial thickness burns. It forms a barrier over the wound helping in faster healing, lesser pain, decreasing infection rate and good scar formation. It’s one time application and reduced hospital stay makes it more compliant and cost effective to the patients.
