TREATMENT OF BURNS BY A HONEY GAUZE: A SMALL-SCALE CLINICAL ESSAY TO ASSESS ITS EFFICACY
Aharon Wanszelbaum1
1Meuhedet health service wound clinics (Jerusalem, Israel).
1. Honey gauze
used for Treating and Healing
Burns
Aharon Wanszelbaum MD
Meuhedet health service wound clinics
2. HYPOTHESIS / AIM
Honey gauze dressing and Honey gels are well
known treatments that accelerate the healing
of problem wounds.
Our Hypothesis was that Burns also may benefit
from Honey dressing in the healing process .
We decided to use honey gauze
(Bfactory*) as a single treatment for burns
3. Our assumptions were:
1. The impregnated gauze will not
adhere to the burn surface
2. The honey will contribute its potent
antibacterial effects ,hyperosmolarity and
other characteristics to induce a better and
healing.
HYPOTHESIS
4. MATERIAL and METHODS
We decided to limit the spectrum of the trial to superficial burns (involving
only the Epidermis) and partial thickness burns (involving the epidermis
till most of the dermis). Patient with allergy to honey were excluded.
All patients got explanations of the treatment and signed an informed
consent.
Once patients enrolled they were dressed with the gauze with a
secondary foam dressing. The dressings were changed 2-3 times a week
until healing was achieved or the product went inadequate.
The use of gel, oral antibiotics and pain killer was permitted if
needed.
5. Results and findings
1: 3 Out of 4 patients (75%) achieved complete healing in 13-47 days (mean: 28.6
days) and 5-20 treatments (mean 11 treatments).
2: Patient 4 dropped out because of pain induced by the and healed with
silver sulfadiazine cream daily treatment .
3: Patient 1 was treated on his right hand by and on the left by a silver
dressing (Biatain Ag).Both were effective but with better results with
so that after 8 days ,we replaced the silver dressing to
Of importance is to mention that the side that got from the begining
healed better with a much nicer skin.
6. General description of the cases
Patient
Sex
Cause of burn
Localization
TBSA
Grade
Time to healing
(days)
Nb of dressings to
healing
Other pathologies
Albuminemia
Pain killer (burn
related)
1
Male
Frozen meat
Finger pulps both
hands
1%
2
13
5
Diabetes mellitus
insulin dependent
HbA1c:6.8
Renal failure
Diabetic
retinopathy
Anemia(mild)
Hypertension
Normal
Paracetamol
2
Female
Boiling oil
Shin heel plantar
foot left leg
4.5%
2
47
20
/
/
Paracetamol
dipyrone
3
Male
Boiling water
Finger 3 left hand
0.5%
2
26
8
Diabetes mellitus
Non-insulin
dependent
HbA1c:9.7
Diabetic
neuropathy
Poor compliance
Coronaropathy
Hypertension
Normal
/
4
Male
Explosion of gas
canister
Face-hands
6.5%
1
Dropped out
/
/
/
paracetamol
8. Conclusions and implications for
clinical practice
gauze should be considered as a first
choice in the treatment of superficial and/or
partial thickness burns .
Although we achieved good and impressive
results, randomized control and blinded trials
on a bigger scale should be done to ratify the
effectiveness of honey as single topical
treatment for burns
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