Topical haemostatic agents for skin wounds: a systematic review
2011

Effectiveness of Topical Haemostatic Agents for Skin Wounds

Sample size: 340 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Marieke D Groenewold, Astrid J Gribnau, Dirk T Ubbink

Primary Institution: Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Hypothesis

What is the effectiveness of various topical haemostatic agents in achieving haemostasis in donor site wounds after split skin grafting?

Conclusion

Epinephrine and fibrin sealant are superior agents for achieving quick and effective haemostasis in skin graft donor sites.

Supporting Evidence

  • Epinephrine achieved haemostasis significantly faster than thrombin and saline.
  • Fibrin sealant resulted in quicker haemostasis compared to thrombin.
  • Adverse effects of the treatments were negligible.

Takeaway

Doctors can use special medicines called epinephrine and fibrin sealant to stop bleeding quickly when taking skin from one part of the body to help heal another part.

Methodology

A systematic review of randomized clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of haemostatic agents in donor site wounds after split skin grafting.

Potential Biases

Some trials used subjective outcome measurements and did not adequately blind care providers.

Limitations

Lack of clinical homogeneity among trials and insufficient reporting on costs and wound healing.

Participant Demographics

Mainly burn patients with donor sites after split skin grafting.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Confidence Interval

95% CI

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2482-11-15

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