Absolute barrier isolation and antibiotics in the treatment of experimental burn wound sepsis

Abstract

1. 1. A model for studying the effect of absolute barrier isolation on mortality from burn wound sepsis is described. 2. 2. Systemic polymyxin alone did not increase survival in this model. 3. 3. Topical mafenide with or without systemic polymyxin markedly improved survival from experimental burn wound sepsis. 4. 4. The mortality of animals treated with systemic and oral polymyxin, topical mafenide, and absolute barrier (germfree) isolation was the same as the mortality of similarly treated animals without isolation. 5. 5. In this model, absolute barrier isolation was of no value in the treatment of experimentally contaminated burn wounds.