Background and Objective

The enzymatic debriding agent Nexobrid® allows for the performance of an early and selective debridement of burned tissues by the first evaluation of a burned patient. One of its most supported indications are circular deep burns, preventing and also treating the compartment syndrome.

The aim of this article is to compare the efficacy of the enzymatic debriding versus escharotomy in this type of burns.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of patients attended at the Great Burns Unit of the Hospital La Fe of Valencia (Spain). The review included patients suffering deep second-degree and third-degree circular burns caused by scald, contact or flames, affecting lower or upper limbs, treated from January 2014 to January 2017.

Results

Thirty three patients were included in the study, from which 25 were managed with the traditional treatment, and 8 with the enzymatic debriding agent Nexobrid®. In the traditional treatment group, 11 escharotomies were performed, while the Nexobrid® group require none. This differences proved to be statistically significant (p<0.05).

Conclusions

The use of the enzymatic debriding agent Nexobrid® can avoid or reduce the need of the performance of escharotomies in patients suffering from circular deep burns affecting limbs, preventing the morbidity associated to this procedure.

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