Analgesic Hydrogel Dressings for Burn Pain

An article in BMJ states, “Pain remains a major issue following a burn, and research suggests that pain from burn injuries continues to be undertreated in children.” In a study, two burn dressings were compared to determine the efficacy of treatment for pediatric burns. This was the first randomized investigation of analgesics for acute burn dressings in kids. Patients 16 years of age or younger were randomized to either an interventional hydrogel dressing or a plasticized polyvinylchloride film as control. Physiological measures of distress were combined with self-reports and observational scales to assess pain.

Although the trial aimed to provide evidence to support the superiority of use of an acute burn dressing for pain relief for pediatric patients with acute thermal burn injuries, the addition of hydrogel to half of the 72 children involved in the study showed no “clear benefit.” A broader pediatric population patient sample may need to be represented in future.

 

Read the journal article.

Other Categories:

• pain management

• pediatrics

• wound care