Biobrane in the treatment of burn and scald injuries in children.

Eighty-four children with a burn (n = 7) or scald injury (n = 77), treated with Biobrane, were investigated in a retrospective and clinical study. In most patients (n = 71), the Biobrane was adherent and without any reactions or infections. An infection was seen in 10.7% (9 from 84 patients). Twenty-one of 49 patients of the follow-up had limited scar areas. In scarless healed areas, 54.3% had normopigmentation and 39.1% were hypopigmented. The skin quality of the scars was mostly hypopigmented with a softness between minimal and middle resistance, under 2-mm high, and of normal to pink skin color. Compared with other dressings, Biobrane is no more expensive than others. We conclude that when used on properly selected wounds, Biobrane is an effective and, for the children, less traumatic therapy for superficial partial-thickness burns without increasing the cost of outpatient burn care.