Can Pure Silk Compete with the Established Mepilex Ag® in the Treatment of Superficial Partial Thickness Burn Wounds? A Prospective Intraindividual Study

TL;DR

This study compares pure silk and Mepilex Ag® for treating minor burns and finds both effective, with silk being more resource-efficient.

Contribution

The study introduces pure silk as a viable, resource-efficient alternative to Mepilex Ag® for superficial burn treatment.

Findings

Mepilex Ag® showed a trend for faster wound closure but not statistically significant.

Pure silk had similar pain levels and scar quality as Mepilex Ag® after 3 months.

Pure silk required fewer resources and was highly practical in clinical use.

Abstract

Introduction: Superficial partial thickness burns generally do not require surgical intervention and are managed with specialized wound dressings. Mepilex Ag® is commonly used and often represents the standard of care. This study evaluated the clinical performance of pure silk compared to Mepilex Ag®. Methods: A prospective, single-center intraindividual study was conducted on adult patients with superficial partial thickness burns. Each burn wound was divided, treating one half with pure silk and the other with Mepilex Ag®. Clinical parameters including wound closure time, pain levels, and scar quality at 3-month follow-up were analyzed. Results: Twenty-four patients were included (mean TBSA: 5.8%). Mepilex Ag® showed a trend towards a shorter wound closure time (10.5 vs. 11.5 days; p = 0.223). Pain scores remained below 4/10 for both dressings throughout treatment. However, Mepilex Ag® demonstrated significantly lower pain on day one (3.5 vs. 2.77; p = 0.039) and day two (2.91 vs. 2.27; p = 0.041). Scar quality after 3 months was similar. Conclusion: Both dressings proved to be effective treatment options. Pure silk required fewer resources, showed high clinical practicality, and demonstrated a similar performance to Mepilex Ag® in key clinical parameters, making it an interesting option for other clinics and our standard of care.

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