The Use of a New Wound Alginogel for the Treatment of Partial-thickness Hand Burns

The following retrospective analysis reports on patients with partial-thickness wounds admitted to the burn unit of the General Hospital of Athens who were treated with a new alginogel and were later compared to the burn center's standard treatment. Methods. Patient information from January December 2008 was analyzed for the number of days until healing and wound bacterial loads. Wound healing was characterized as a quick onset of epithelialization and low occurrence of inflammation. Results. A limited number of wounds (15%) were found to be positive for wound swabs and accordingly few signs of inflammation were reported. The organisms that were retrieved from the alginogel treated wounds were Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus hominis, and Acinetobacter baumanii. Conclusion. These data are discussed and compared with the experience of the burn unit and its standard treatment.