CALCIUM ALGINATE VERSUS PARAFFIN GAUZE IN THE TREATMENT OF SCALP GRAFT DONOR SITES

Skin grafting is frequently needed in the treatment of bums. Because o f its good skin quality and huge area, scalp skin, which is often free of burn, can be a very effective donor site, especially for pediatric patients. A controlled, randomized, clinical trial held in ten French plastic surgery departments or burn units assessed the efficacy and t he acceptability of a calcium alginate dressing and a paraffin gauze i n the healing of scalp donor sites in children. Sixty-seven children ( mean age 54 months) entered the study, 34 in the alginate group and 33 in the controlled group. Follow-up visits were scheduled at D2/D3, D5 /D6, at complete healing, and at D21 and D60 after surgery. The two gr oups were well balanced at inclusion (demographic characteristics, nat ure and area bums, surface and thickness grafts). Epithelialization oc curred after ten and eleven days in the calcium alginate dressing grou p and the paraffin gauze group respectively (ns). The quality of the n ewly formed tissue permitted a sooner reharvest in calcium alginate dr essing group than in the control group (p = 0.003). Bleeding during dr essing changes occurred significantly less often (p = 0.002), and chan ges are less painful (p = 0.01) in the calcium alginate dressing group . Hair growth at day 21 and day 60 is homogenous in both groups (ns). These results showed that scalp is a very effective donor site area an d that calcium algiate dressing is practical in donor site healing.