Occlusive dressings and gauze dressings did not differ for healing open wounds in surgical patients
D T Ubbink
Dr D T Ubbink, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; d.ubbink@amc.nl
QUESTION
How do occlusive dressings compare with gauze dressings for healing open wounds in surgical patients?
METHODS
Design:
randomised controlled trial. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN56264738.
Allocation:
concealed.
Blinding:
blinded {data collectors and outcome assessors}.*
Follow-up period:
up to complete wound healing or 6 months.
Setting:
Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Patients:
285 surgical inpatients (mean age 57 y, 65% men) with open wounds requiring local wound care. Exclusion criteria included burn wounds, ulcerating malignancies, closed wounds, ostomies or drain openings, pin holes from external fracture fixation materials, and chemotherapy or local irradiation.
Intervention:
local wound care with occlusive (n = 142) or gauze dressings (n = 143).
Outcomes:
included complete …
