A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF SILICONE NET DRESSING AND PARAFFIN GAUZE DRESSING IN SKIN-GRAFTED SITES

This prospective randomized study has compared paraffin gauze dressing (n=19) with silicone net dressing (Mepitel, n=19) applied as the firs t layer to newly grafted burn wounds. At the first postoperative dress ing visual analogue pain scores were greater in the paraffin gauze gro up (mean 4.4) than in the silicone net group (mean 1.4, P<0.01). All p atients in the paraffin gauze group experienced some degree of pain on dressing removal, whereas 53 per cent of patients in the silicone net group experienced no pain. Overall graft take was similar in both gro ups, (silicone net mean 95.7 per cent; paraffin gauze mean 94.3 per ce nt). Dressings were harder to remove in the paraffin gauze group as as sessed by a simple scoring system (P<0.001). In conclusion silicone ne t dressing confers advantages over conventional paraffin gauze, especi ally in reducing patient discomfort during dressing changes. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd for ISBI.