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. 2022 Jan;19(1):178-187.
doi: 10.1111/iwj.13613. Epub 2021 May 10.

A clinical comparison of pure knitted silk and a complex synthetic skin substitute for the treatment of partial thickness burns

Jennifer Lynn Schiefer  1 , Janine Andreae  1 , Mahsa Bagheri  1 , Paul Christian Fuchs  1 , Rolf Lefering  2 , Wolfram Heitzmann  1 , Alexandra Schulz  1
Affiliations

A clinical comparison of pure knitted silk and a complex synthetic skin substitute for the treatment of partial thickness burns

Jennifer Lynn Schiefer et al. Int Wound J. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

Currently, many dressings are commercially available for the treatment of burn wounds. Some of these wound dressings remain on the wound, prevent painful dressing changes, and reduce tissue scarring. Nevertheless, still a wound dressing that is cost-effective, produces good wound healing properties, and has a high patient satisfaction is needed. Standard care of superficial burn wounds differs between burn centres. This study aimed to determine a dressing with easy appliance, accurate pain control, favourable outcome, and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, we compared the widely used but expensive Suprathel with the rather new but much cheaper Dressilk in the clinical setting. In a prospective clinical study, the healing of partial thickness burn wounds after simultaneous treatment with Suprathel and Dressilk was examined in 20 patients intra-individually. During wound healing, pain, infection, exudation, and bleeding were evaluated. A subjective scar evaluation was performed using the Patient and Observer Scar Scale. Both dressings were easy to apply, remained on the wound in place, and were gradually cut back as reepithelisation proceeded and showed similar times to wound closure. Dressing changes were not necessary, and neither infections nor bleeding was detected. Overall exudation and pain were highest in the beginning but declined during the wound-healing phase without significant differences. In the follow-up scar evaluation after 12 months, patients reported overall high satisfaction. Overall, the modern dressings Suprathel and Dressilk (solely made out of pure silk) led to safe wound healing without infection and rapidly reduced pain. There was no need for dressing changes, and they had similar clinical outcomes in scar evaluation. Therefore, both dressings seem to be ideal for the treatment of superficial burns. Because acquisition costs remain one of the main factors in the treatment of burns, Dressilk, which is ~20 times cheaper than Suprathel, remains a good option for the treatment of partial thickness burns.

Keywords: Dressilk; POSAS; Suprathel; partial thickness burns; wound healing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors disclose the following commercial associations that might create a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted manuscript: This research was supported in parts by Prevor (France). Hereby Prevor had no influence in planning and conducting the study. Furthermore, Prevor had no role in the data analysis and the submitted manuscript.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Partial thickness burn of the right forearm and hand; A, B, before and after debridement; C, during the wound healing with the two dressings (Suprathel marked with the green stripe; D, 3‐month follow‐up
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Partial thickness burn of the left hand; A, after debridement and treatment with the two dressings (Suprathel marked with the green stripe and covered with fatty gauze); B, 12‐month follow‐up
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Mean exudation of wounds treated with Dressilk und Suprathel in the first 48 days
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Mean pain level of wounds treated with Dressilk und Suprathel within the first 48 days
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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