WOUND CLEANSING TIME AND LENGTH OF HOSPITAL STAY WITH TOPICAL ENTEROL IN THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF SUPERFICIAL AND BORDERLINE BURNS

Objective: to evaluate the clinical and laboratory efficacy of topical Saccharomyces boulardii (Enterol) in the complex treatment of superficial (second-degree) and borderline (IIIA-degree, deep partial-thickness) burns. Material and methods. Sixty patients with thermal burns of up to 15 % of body surface area were studied. For each depth, a main group (n=15; Enterol 250 mg in 50 ml of warm distilled water applied every other day under a Parapran paraffin gauze dressing) was compared with a control group (n=15; antiseptics, dry management). Wounds were monitored on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 15 (also day 20 for IIIA burns) by imprint-smear cytology, semi-quantitative assessment of microbial contamination and ELISA of wound washings (IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α, MMP-9, TGF-β1). Results. Hospital stay was 6.1±0.2 versus 9.9±0.4 bed-days for second-degree burns (-38.4 %) and 18.6±0.5 versus 21.0±0.5 for IIIA burns (-11.4 %; p<0.05). Heavy contamination was no longer detected from day 5 (control: day 7) in second-degree and from day 7 (control: day 15) in IIIA burns. On the last observation day, neutrophil destruction was 43.7 % and 41.2 % lower and fibroblast content 63.2 % and 43.8 % higher than in controls. IL-1β was 44.1 % and 52.1 % lower, MMP-9 34.8 % and 44.9 % lower, IL-10 45.3 % and 33.0 % higher (p<0.05); in IIIA burns TNF-α was 54.3 % lower and TGF-β1 37.9 % higher (p<0.05). No adverse events occurred. Conclusion. In superficial and borderline burns, topical S. boulardii speeds up wound cleansing, resolution of inflammation and repair and shortens treatment.