The comparison of biologic dressing with amniotic membrane and anti-microbial dressing in wounds of burned patients

Biologic dressing with amniotic membrane is one of the therapeutic methods of managing damaged tissues in burns. There are various methods for topical treatment of burns including anti-microbial dressing that uses topical antibiotics and biologic dressing using live tissues. In this study two methods were compared regarding to complications, treatment cost, and hospital stay. In a clinical trial survey accomplished in 2000 at ward of burns, Khatam-al-Anbia hospital, Zahedan, Iran, 80 patients with burns received biologic dressing with amniotic membrane were compared with 80 patients undergoing antimicrobial dressing. Data were analyzed by Chi-Square and t tests with P<0.05 as a limit of significance. Local infections in the biologic and antimicrobial dressing were 35% and 78.8%, respectively. Pulmonary complications were 22.5% in the antimicrobial dressing and 1.2% in the biologic dressing. The mean temperature in the biologic dressing and the antimicrobial dressing were 39.04±0.94 C and 39.7±0.98 C. Thrombophlebitis was found in 16.2% of the biologic dressing and 18.8% of the antimicrobial dressing. There was statistically significant difference in local infection, pulmonary complications, and fever between the two groups that revealed less complication in the biologic dressing group. The two groups did not show significant difference concerning thrombophlebitis. The mean hospital stays were 5±3 and 9±5 in the biologic and antimicrobial group, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups concerning hospital stay and treatment costs. They were less in the biologic group. Biologic dressing is a simple and cost effective and practical method in the burned patients and is preferred to antimicrobial dressings regarding treatment cost, hospital stay, and complications.