Nanocellulose significantly reduces number of anesthetics, hospital days, and in-patient dressing changes compared to PU-Foam Dressing: A prospective cohort study in children.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric thermal injuries can have profound physical and psychological effects. Long-term care, including wound dressing selection, significantly impacts outcomes. This study compared treatment related variables and long-term results of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) and polyurethane foam (PU-foam) dressings in pediatric burn care. METHODS: A prospective cohort study comparing BNC (2018-2020) and PU-foam (2016-2018) in pediatric burn patients. Data included demographics, wound characteristics, infection rates, treatment duration, anesthesia procedures, dressing changes, scar assessments (POSAS, VSS), colorimeter measurements, and quality of life (CDLQI). Regression analyses were performed to correct for differences in burn depth. RESULTS: After correction for burn depth, BNC showed a shorter hospital stay duration (p = 0.007), a lower number of procedures under general anesthesia (p<0.0001) and a reduced number of inpatient dressing changes (p = 0.006), compared to PU-foam, whereas wound infection rates did not differ between the treatment groups (p = 0.169). Scar outcomes (POSAS, VSS, colorimeter measurements) and quality of life (CDLQI) were comparable for both treatments. DISCUSSION: BNC dressing benefits include significantly fewer anesthesia procedures, a reduced number of inpatient dressing changes and a shorter hospital stays, supporting the use of BNC dressing. Long-term scar outcomes with BNC are comparable to established dressings like PU-foam. Further randomized trials are necessary to confirm these findings.

Application of bacterial nanocellulose-based wound dressings in the management of thermal injuries: Experience in 92 children.

BACKGROUND: Management of pediatric thermal injuries involves a high standard of care in a multidisciplinary setting. To avoid physical and psychological sequelae, wound dressings should minimize hospitalization time and anesthesia while maximizing patient comfort. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 190 children with thermal injuries of the torso, arms and legs were treated with polyurethane foam dressings or bacterial nanocellulose sheets. Data were analyzed retrospectively regarding hospitalization, procedures with general anesthesia, scar formation, rate of infection and need for skin grafting. RESULTS: The groups did not differ significantly concerning age, gender distribution or percentage of injured total body surface area. Statistical analysis showed that length of hospitalized care and procedures undergoing anesthesia were significantly reduced in the nanocellulose group (each p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in rate of complications, wound healing and rate of skin grafting between the two subgroups. DISCUSSION: Acting as a temporary epidermal substitute, bacterial nanocellulose enables undisturbed reepithelialization without further wound dressing changes. In children, no additional topical antimicrobial agents are indicated for unimpaired wound healing. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial nanocellulose is superior to polyurethane foam regarding length of hospitalization and number of interventions under anesthesia. It offers a safe, cost-effective treatment option and provides excellent comfort in pediatric patients.

Mapping candidate regions and genes for congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) by array-based comparative genomic hybridization.

BACKGROUND: Congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) are frequently associated with malformations of other organs. METHODS: In order to explore the role of DNA microimbalances in syndromal CAKUT, we applied genome-wide array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) in 30 children with various CAKUT phenotypes and at least one additional extrarenal symptom. RESULTS: In three patients, causal imbalances were detected: In one patient with duplex kidney and vesico-ureteral reflux associated with extrarenal stigmata, a terminal 9.52 Mb gain in chromosomal band 2q37.1-q37.3 and a terminal 5.65 Mb loss in 7q36.2-q36.3 were detected, which were due to an unbalanced 2;7-translocation according to FISH analysis. A balanced 2;7-translocation was present in the unaffected mother. In another patient presenting with renal hypoplasia and proximal ureteric stenosis combined with mental retardation, macrocephaly and ear anomalies, a duplication of 2.73 Mb was detected in 1q21.1. The unaffected father had a 1.3 Mb gain in 1q21.1-q21.2 involving the distal part of the patient's gain, for which benign copy number variation was described. A third patient affected by dysplastic kidney with a strongly dilated ureter and extrarenal abnormalities exhibited a de novo loss of 13.38 Mb in 3q23-q25.1 including the AGTR1 gene. However, no AGTR1 mutations were identified in the remaining allele of this case or in 108 patients with isolated renal dysplasia/hypoplasia. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, 10% of patients with syndromic CAKUT were shown to carry DNA microimbalances, and four chromosomal regions presumably associated with the CAKUT phenotype were identified: 1q21.1, 2q37.1-q37.3, 3q23-q25.1 and 7q36.2-q36.3.