PR02 THE SPLIT THICKNESS SKIN GRAFT DONOR SITE; HAVE WE FOUND THE PERFECT DRESSING?

Calcium Alginate dressings have been used for many years as the standard dressing for donor sites. They require a secondary absorbent dressing which is not waterproof, will frequently leak blood and are difficult to remove and heal. Polyurethrane film dressings have also been used routinely with excellent healing rates, are waterproof, but highly prone to leakage. We present the results of a prospective randomized controlled trial using a new dressing, Tegaderm Absorbent, which provides all the regular benefits of a Polyurethrane film dressing but with absorptive capacity. Tegaderm Absorbent (TA) consists of a conformable acrylic pad enclosed between 2 layers of transparent film. The film in contact with the wound surface is perforated to allow uptake of the wound fluid by the absorptive acrylic pad. Forty patients were randomized to receive either Tegaderm Absorbent (3M) or Kaltostat Alginate dressing (Convatec)/gauze/combine/Mefix dressing. Twenty females and 16 men, with a mean age of 72 years (11–94 years), 19 with TA and 17 with Kaltostat, completed the trial. TA dressings were significantly easier to apply (89% vs. 31% very easy to apply), less painful on the first two days postoperatively (mean pain score 0.3 vs. 1.9 at Day 1 and 0.2 vs 2.7 Day 2), were easier and less painful to remove (mean pain score 0.5 vs. 2.9), healed quicker (99.7% vs. 58.9% healed at 10–16 days) and were more convenient for the patients to manage. Eight dressings leaked in the Kaltostat group and 5 in the TA group. To avoid this a dressing change may be required.