129 A Summary of Scientific Studies and Clinical Results with a Glycerine Based Dressing

Abstract

The importance of controlling the bioburden in wounds can not be over emphasized. Glycerine based gel sheets have been used extensively to show their bacteriostatic/fungistatic properties. Hoekstra studied animal wounds and compared glycerine dressings with water based dressings and the glycerine showed superior bioburden reduction. Vandeputte showed similar results when comparing hydrogel and hydrocolloid dressings and looked at the histology of the wounds to find differences in the quantities of the types of cells present. The reduced scar formation of wounds are thought to be attributed to the influence of the glycerine on the healing process. Hoestra has reported the dramatic reduction in the inflammation reaction soon after application of the glycerine gel dressing. Studies by Oliveria‐Gandia, Davis, and Mertz showed the glycerine dressings to be more effective than hydrogel or hydrocolloid dressings in reducing bioburden in animal wounds that were inoculated with microbes and also reducing biocounts in appropriate growth medium. Vandeputte conducted a diabetic study(no exclusions) that compared the glycerine dressing (n = 15) with standard protocol(n = 14) for diabetic foot wounds, that showed the test dressing to be far superior. He along with thousands of other nurses around the world have reported the use of glycerine dressings on superficial burns to reduce pain, reduce the chance for infection, reduce scar formation, and to protect the wound from friction and pressure. J. Baksa extensively used the glycerine gel sheets in his burn unit not only for the superficial wounds but also for 3rd and 4th degree burns on children as well as after surgical removal of hypertrophic and keloid scars to prevent reoccurrence. T.M. Baum and M.J. Busuito also reported the use of the glycerine dressing for scar prevention and treatment. The glycerine dressing has been used extensively for te treatment and prevention of pressure ulcers in hospitals, nursing homes, athletic fields, as well as, under casts, splints and braces. R. Horchner reported a >95% reduction in pressure ulcers in a direct comparison to the control and to hydrocolloids.