A One Year Randomised Control Trial Comparing The Efficacy Of Topical Sucralfate Vs Silver Sulfadiazine In The Management Of Burns

Abstract

Background and objectives Many types of medications have been used for burn injuries. The present study was aimed to compare the efficacy of topical sucralfate with that of silver sulfadiazine, in the healing of second degree superficial burns. Methodology This one year randomized controlled trial was done in the Department of General Surgery, KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Belagavi from January 2015 to December 2015. A total of 60 patients with <50% thermal superficial second degree burns were divided into two groups of 30 each as Group A (Topical sucralfate dressing) and Group B (Silver sulfadiazine dressing) Results Majority of patients were males in group A and group B (83.33% vs 16.67%; p=1.000). The mean age was comparable in group A and in group B (29.33±16.94 vs 29.87±16.83; p=0.903). Other characteristics including burn area, mean pulse rate, systolic BP, diastolic BP, respiratory rate, Temperature, personal history of tobacco consumption, Smoking, and Alcohol consumption, built (p>0.050) were comparable in group A and group B. However, all the patients in group A had burn injury in right upper limb (100.00%) compared to all the patients (100%) with burn injury on left upper limb in group B (p<0.001). In patients with group A, the day of granulation was less than 7 days among 50% of the patient While in group B, 56.67% of the patients had granulation between 15 to 20 days (p=0.149). The mean day of granulation was 8.11±3.92 days in group A compared to 8.93±3.29 days in group B (p=0.396). The wound culture on first, on seventh and 14th day (p>0.050) did not differ significantly in both the groups. Conclusion and interpretation Overall, topical sucralfate dressing is efficacious in terms of development of early granulation in the healing of second degree superficial burns.