Using a new lipidocolloid dressing in paediatric wounds: results of French and German clinical studies.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy, tolerance and acceptability of a lipidocolloid dressing, Urgotul (Laboratoires Urgo), in the local treatment of acute and chronic paediatric wounds. METHOD Two non-comparative multicentre prospective clinical studies were conducted using the same protocol in France and Germany. A total of 100 patients were recruited from 16 centres (11 in France and five in Germany), and followed up for four weeks. Seventy wounds (55 burns and 15 other wounds) from France and 30 from Germany (22 burns and eight other wounds) were evaluated by nursing staff at every dressing change and by the medical investigator on a weekly basis. RESULTS In the French study population, 86% of the burns (superficial and deep partial-thickness) and 53% of the other wounds healed completely within the four weeks. Figures for the German study population were 100% and 88% respectively. Pain was evaluated using pain scales adapted to the patient's age (objective pain scale, faces scale for pain and a visual analogue scale) at each dressing change. Dressing removal was non-traumatic, inducing very limited pain. Minor local adverse events were reported in four children. CONCLUSION Urgotul is not only efficacious, but also well-tolerated and accepted by children with acute and chronic wounds. The dressing, therefore, might be an appropriate and highly promising alternative to conventional dressings.