# Oxygen-Enriched Olive-Oil Dressing in Moderate-Degree Pediatric Burns: Impact on Care and Budget over a 4-Year Period in a Tertiary Children’s Hospital

## TL;DR

Using oxygen-enriched olive-oil dressings on moderate pediatric burns reduced hospital stays and overall costs over four years in a children's hospital.

## Contribution

Demonstrates that oxygen-enriched olive-oil dressings lead to budget savings despite higher initial costs in pediatric burn care.

## Key findings

- OEoD reduced average length of stay from 16.6 to 7.3 days per patient.
- Total annual costs decreased by 7–18% from 2022 to 2025 with OEoD use.
- Cumulative 4-year savings reached €337,399 with the new dressing.

## Abstract

Background: Pediatric burns cause considerable morbidity and hospital resource use. Advanced dressings on moderate-degree pediatric burns that accelerate healing may offset acquisition costs by shortening length of stay (LOS). Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the budget impact of introducing an oxygen-enriched olive-oil dressing for pediatric burns (grade I–IIG; total body surface area < 20%) at a tertiary children’s hospital. Methods: A hospital-perspective budget impact analysis was conducted according to ISPOR guidance over a 4-year horizon (2022–2025). The study population included 32 inpatients (<18 years) with non-extensive, moderate-degree burns treated between 2022 and 2023. Two scenarios were modeled: (i) standard of care (SoC) and (ii) SoC plus the oxygen-enriched olive-oil dressing (OEoD), with annual caseload projections to 2025. Costs combined treatment (dressings, drugs, and devices) and hospitalization data provided by the hospital’s Control & Management Unit. The average daily hospitalization cost was €1438.99. Results: Compared with SoC, the OEoD scenario increased per-patient dressing costs (mean €271.4 vs. €121.9) but reduced LOS (mean 7.3 vs. 16.6 days), leading to lower overall hospitalization expenditure. Total annual costs decreased by 7%, 13%, 16%, and 18% across 2022–2025, respectively (for example, 2025: €612,516 vs. €751,445; Δ −€138,929). Cumulative 4-year savings reached €337,399. Deterministic sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of these findings, with savings persisting under variable assumptions. Conclusions: Despite higher acquisition costs, oxygen-enriched olive-oil dressings were associated with shorter LOS and meaningful budget savings in pediatric burn care. These results support their integration into multidisciplinary burn management pathways and call for further prospective multicenter validation.