The purpose of this study is to better understand how to best care for burn wounds.
Participants: Patients presenting to Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe Malawi with burn wounds occuring within 72 hours of admission. Procedures (methods): This is a prospective randomized trial. Subjects will be randomized during admission to receive either open dressing care or closed dressing care of their burn wounds.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Subjects will have their wounds managed by covering with gauze and changing this gauze 3 to 7 times per week.
Subjects will have their burns managed by keeping the wounds exposed to the air.
Time to healing
Time from burn injury to healing (defined as at least 90% epithelialization) as determined by hospital records, outpatient clinical records and telephone contact (with subject or next-of-kin) per study protocol.
Time frame: 30-day
Mortality
Mortality within 30 days of burn injury, as determined by hospital records, outpatient clinical records and telephone contact (with next-of-kin) per study protocol.
Time frame: 30-day
Burn wound infection rate
Clinical suspicion of infection defined by presence of (a) burn wound cellulitis (erythema and/or edema AND pain and/or tenderness at the border of the wound), or (b) burn wound infection (change in appearance of the burn including focal or multifocal brown, black or violaceous discoloration OR rapid separation of the eschar OR conversion of partial thickness to full thickness burn).
Time frame: 30-day
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.