Use of dermal regeneration templates in a low resource environment

Modern burn care in a sophisticated well-resourced centre in a rich country utilises an increasing number of expensive adjuncts to optimise outcomes such as dermal templates, cultured keratinocytes, biological and silver impregnated dressings. Translating the use of these into a low resource environment is not a simple matter of providing the materials free of charge and there needs to be careful consideration of both the positive and negative consequences and the impact on both an individual and a population level

Epidemiology, aetiology and knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to burn injuries in Palestine: A community‐level research

The aim of this study was to identify the epidemiology, aetiology as well as the knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to burn injuries in Palestine. A mixed‐method approach was used. A survey was distributed to a total of 1500 households selected by randomised approach. The survey was standardised based on World Health Organisation's guidelines for conducting community surveys on injury. Additionally, there were 12 focus group discussions and 10 key informant interviews to collect rich qualitative data. In the West Bank and Gaza, 1.5% of Palestinians had experienced serious burn injuries in the 12 months. The total sample of 1500 yields a margin of error (plus/minus) = 2.5% at a 95% level of confidence and a response distribution (P = 50%) with 3% non‐response rate. Of the 1500 households approached, 184 reported a total of 196 burn injuries, with 87.2% occurring inside the home: 69.4% were females and 39.3% were children. The main source of reported cause of burn was heat and flame (36%), electric current (31.6%), hot liquid (28.6%), and chemicals (2.7%). The most common first aid for burns was pouring water (74.7%). People in rural, refugee, and Bedouin settings had the highest incidence of burns. This study provides the burn prevalence rate, explanatory factors that contribute to the frequency of burns in Palestine. Making burn prevention a higher priority within the national policy is crucial

Istraživanje učinka medicinskog meda L-mesitran® na cijeljenje nekirurških rana kod mačaka

The aim of the study was to prove the healing effect of medical honey on contaminated nonsurgical wounds in cats. Ten cats with a total of fifteen contaminated nonsurgical wounds were included in the study. The wounds were treated with L-Mesitran® Soft medical honey wound gel and left to heal by second intention. All wounds smaller than 10 cm2 healed in 7 to 56 days (mean 30.8 ± 16.0 days), wounds larger than 10 cm2 healed in 28 to 105 days (mean 64.4 ± 31.12 days). Wounds with skin and subcutis involvement (Type 1) healed in 14 to 49 days (mean 29.17 ± 10.48 days), wounds where skin, subcutis and muscles, tendon and/or bones were involved (Type 2) healed in 7 to 105 days (mean 50.6 ± 30.74 days). The scab and necrotic tissue gradually cleared from all wounds. Odour and exudate in all wounds vanished by day 7, while pH lowered from 7.6 to 7.0 in 3 days. The mean time of the first appearance of granulation tissue in wounds Type 1 was 3.66 ± 1.63 days and for wounds Type 2 5.25 ± 2.55 days. The mean time to coverage of the bottom of the wound with granulation tissue was 3 to 18 days (mean 9.73 ± 5.11) days. Using the Mann-Whitney test, no statistically significant differences were found in healing of wounds between groups according to wound size and between groups according to the tissues involved on any of selected days (P<0.05). Treatment of wounds with medical honey had a positive impact on wound healing, because the function of the affected part of the body was not impaired, the wounds healed without complications and the cosmetic appearance was minimally altered due to a minimal amount of scar tissue formation, and regrowth of the hair.Cilj istraživanja bio je dokazati ljekoviti učinak medicinskog meda na onečišćene nekirurške rane kod mačaka. U istraživanje je uključeno deset mačaka s ukupno petnaest kontaminiranih nekirurških rana. Rane su liječene medicinskim medom, L-Mesitran®, mekanim gelom koji se nanosi s ciljem sekundarnog cijeljenja. Sve rane manje od 10 cm2 zacijelile su u 7 do 56 dana (prosječno 30,8 ± 16,0 dana), a rane veće od 10 cm2 zacijelile su u 28 do 105 dana (prosječno 64,4 ± 31,12 dana). Rane koje su uključivale slojeve kože i potkožja (tip 1) zacijelile su u razdoblju od 14 do 49 dana (prosječno 29,17 ± 10,48 dana), a rane kod kojih su uključeni koža, potkožje te mišići, tetive i/ili kosti (tip 2) u razdoblju od 7 do 105 dana (prosječno 50,6 ± 30,74 dana). Kraste i nekrotično tkivo postupno su nestali sa svih rana. Miris i eksudat sa svih rana nestali su do 7. dana, dok je snižavanje pH od 7,6 do 7,0 nastupilo u 3 dana. Prosječno vrijeme prvoga pojavljivanja granulacijskog tkiva kod rana tipa 1 bilo je 3,66 ± 1,63 dana, dok je kod rana tipa 2 iznosilo 5,25 ± 2,55 dana. Vrijeme prekrivanja dna rane granulacijskim tkivom iznosilo je od 3 do 18 dana (prosječno 9,73 ± 5,11 dana). Mann-Whitneyevim testom, bez obzira na odabrane dane, nisu utvrđene statistički značajne razlike (P<0,05) u cijeljenju rana među skupinama prema veličini rane i među skupinama prema vrstama uključenih tkiva. Liječenje rana medicinskim medom pozitivno je utjecalo na njihovo cijeljenje jer funkcija tretiranog dijela tijela nije bila narušena, rane su zacjeljivale bez komplikacija, a kozmetički je izgled minimalno promijenjen zbog minimalne količine formiranog ožiljkastog tkiva i ponovnog rasta dlake

SLOVENIAN EXPERIENCE IN PIG CARCASS CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO SEUROP DURING THE YEARS 1996 TO 2004

Slovenian results on pig carcass classifi cation according to SEUROP (average lean meat percentage, carcass weight, measurements of fat and muscle and their variability) are presented for years from 1996 to 2004. In these years, an important increase of average lean meat percentage was noted (51.9 % in year 1996 vs. 55.9 % in year 2004). As a consequence the percentage of pig carcasses being graded into S and E classes was almost tripled from 1996 to 2004 (21.3 to 58.2%, respectively). This improvement was initiated by the payment according to the lean meat percentage, to which pig breeders responded by better management of herds and partly by increased use of pietrain breed. Potential for further improvement remains in attaining genetically more uniform herds and reduction of carcass weight variability. A new method, introducing an optic probe Hennessy, adapted to changes of the EU legislation, is expected to shift up the average meat percentage close to 57%, which places Slovenian pigs into the EU average