TOPICAL CADEXOMER IODINE VERSUS SALINE DRESSING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC EXUDING WOUNDS

ABSTRACT Background Information: Due to low base rate of complete healing in the natural history, exuding wounds have a significant impact on the health and quality of life of patients. Evidence suggests that exuding wounds impose significant and often underappreciated burden to the individual, the healthcare system and the society as a whole. Cadexomer Iodine contains 0.9% w/v iodine within a three-dimensional starch lattice, formed into spherical microbeads and is available as an ointment in India. In this study, topical cadexomer iodine was used to determine its effect in the healing process of acute and chronic exuding wounds. Aim of the Study: To compare the effectiveness of topical cadexomer iodine and saline dressing in the management of exuding wounds. Materials and Methods: It is an observational cohort study which involves 100 patients suffering from various types of exuding wounds and were divided into two cohorts : test cohort - topical cadexomer iodine treated patients and control cohort – normal saline treated patients. Bates-Jensen wound assessment tool was used for the comparision of effectiveness of the test and control treatments on wound healing. Results: After 10 weeks of observation, topical cadexomer iodine demonstrated significant changes in all the parameters involved in wound healing like – wound size, wound size, depth, edges, undermining, necrotic tissue type and amount, exudate type and amount, skin color surrounding wound, peripheral tissue edema and induration, granulation and epithelialization; reduction in pain and odour. The wound status continuum comparision was done with t-test procedure using SAS-9.2. The folded F value of 0.0490 infers that the test is statistically significant. Conclusion: Topical cadexomer iodine is significantly more effective in the management of various types of exuding wounds when compared to normal saline dressing which is the standard dressing being used currently for exuding wounds. KEYWORDS: Topical Cadexomer Iodine, Saline Dressing. Acute and Chronic Exuding Wounds