Outcome of honey dressing on pain relief and re-epithelization of donor site wound of split thickness skin graft.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the frequency of pain relief and re-epithelization of the donor site wound of split thickness skin graft with the use of honey dressing. Study Design: Descriptive Case Series. Setting: Plastic Surgery Department, Jinnah Burn and Reconstructive Surgery Centre Lahore. Period: From 1^st January, 2019 to 30^th November, 2019. Material & Methods: A total of 100 patients with healthy granulating wound were included in the study. All patients undergone operations under general anaesthesia by the same surgeon. The dressing was done by a layer of honey on gauze piece, wrapped around the donor wound site of split thickness skin graft. Patients were followed at the 7^th post-operative day and outcome measures were noted. Pain was scored by the use of Visual analogue score (VAS) and re-epithelization was complete healing of the wound. Results: A total of 100 patients were enrolled with mean age of 33.11±9.72 years and there were 45% (45) females and 55% (55) male patients. Mean wound size was 7.70±1.83 cm². At the 7^th post-operative day follow up; pain relief was seen in 74% patients and re-epithelization was seen in 78% of patients. Both the outcome measures i.e. pain relief and re-epithelialization was effectively controlled with the use of honey dressing. Conclusion: Honey dressing is useful and effective on split thickness skin graft donor site in terms of pain relief and re-epithelization.