Considerations on manufacturing principles of a synthetic burn dressing: a review.

This review presents various considerations on the construction of a synthetic burn dressing, based mainly on collagen protein. Membranous wound covers are compared with sponge-felt types, monocomponental with composite. The importance of collagen crosslinking agent and the nonextractibility of any component from the dressing material are discussed. According to the type of the burn the dressing should be used dry or wet, plain or medicated, and changed often to reduce substantially the presence of necrotic tissue, inflammatory cell of the granulation tissue, and bacterial contamination.