Poster Presentation ASDR-AWTRS-MEPSA 2018 Joint Meeting

A comparison of the effectiveness of Biobrane®, RECELL® Autologous Skin Cell Suspension and Silver Dressings in superficial partial to mid-dermal thickness paediatric burns: The BRACS Randomised Trial. (#55)

Anjana Bairagi 1 2 3 , Bronwyn Griffin 1 3 , Zephanie Tyack 1 4 5 , Steven McPhail 3 4 6 , Roy Kimble 1 2 3
  1. Centre for Burns and Trauma Research, QUT, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  2. Pegg Leditschke Children’s Burns Centre, Lady Cilento Children's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  3. QUT, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  4. Centre for Functioning and Health Research, Metro South Health, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  5. UQ, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  6. School of Public Health & Social Work and Institute of Health Biomedical Innovation, QUT, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

BACKGROUND: Burn wound re-epithelialisation time has a well-established association with burn depth and scar formation. Scald thermal trauma is the most common mechanism of injury for new patients attending an Australian paediatric hospital and are often responsible for mixed depth burns injuries. Current management options for partial thickness burns include biosynthetic skin substitutes, autologous skin suspensions and silver impregnated dressings. The BRACS trial aims to address the existent clinical equipoise regarding the most ideal dressing, of these three options, in this cohort of children. A comparison of the effect of each dressing on re-epithelialisation time in paediatric superficial partial to mid-dermal thickness burns (primary outcome) and on pain, pruritis, subjective scar severity, scar characteristics, dressing application ease, wound intervention fidelity and health resource utilisation (secondary outcomes) will be completed. 

METHODS: This is a three-armed, prospective, single-centre, randomised trial. All new patients (0 – 16 years) presenting with: burns of  ≥TBSA 5%, < 48 hours old  and burn depth of superficial partial to mid-dermal thickness will be included. Participants (n= 84) will be randomised to one of three groups: Standard silver dressings or Biobrane® with RECELL® or Biobrane®. Initial dressing will be applied under a general anaesthetic and subsequent dressing changes will be every 3-5 days until the wound is > 95% re-epithelialised. Secondary outcomes will be assessed at each dressing change and the 3, 6, and 12 month post-date of injury review.  A survival analysis method will utilise time to healing as the main outcome and dressing group as the explanatory variable. Recruitment commenced in May 2018. Ethics has been approved for this project and this trial is prospectively registered with the ANZCTR ACTRN12618000245291.

 RESULTS: Nil

CONCLUSIONS:  Findings from this study will provide data that potentially identifies the best dressing to optimise re-epithelialisation of paediatric superficial and mid-dermal burns