A clinical study of antimicrobial agents delivered to burn wounds from a drug-loaded synthetic dressing.

This report is of an investigation of the release of antimicrobial agents from a solid barrier dressing when applied to second- and third-degree burn wounds. The synthetic dressings were formed by a mixture of polyethylene glycol-400 (PEG), poly-2-hydroxethyl methacrylate (PHEMA) and one of the test drugs: silver sulfadiazine (AgSD), gentamicin, silver nitrate, or nitrofurazone. The dressings were formed directly on the burn wounds of 33 patients from a paste prepared from a mixture of PEG-PHEMA and drug. These dressings remained in place for 3 days, covering 12 to 64 square inches of the wound. In six patients, the entire burn wounds were covered with the dressings in which the treated areas were each about 200 square inches. The use of drug-loaded synthetic dressings extended to cover major portions of the burn wounds reduced the work required for nursing care and lessened patient discomfort.