Use of Fibrin Sealant for Split-Thickness Skin Grafts in Patients with Hand Burns: A Prospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of fibrin sealant as a topical hemostatic agent and for graft fixation during skin grafting of hand burns.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study enrolled 40 patients with hand burns from January 2013 to December 2016. They were all treated with excision and split-thickness skin graft and divided into the fibrin sealant with tourniquet group (20 patients) and epinephrine tumescence group (20 patients).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Demographic and clinical data such as age, sex, burn characteristics, operation time, estimated blood loss, and take rate were collected from each patient.

MAIN RESULTS

The demographic and burn characteristics were not statistically different between the two groups. Estimated blood loss per cm (0.30 vs 1.00; P < .001) was significantly lower and the graft take rate (99.2% vs 98.2%; P = .032) was significantly higher in the fibrin sealant with tourniquet group.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of fibrin sealants accompanied by tourniquets for hand burns exhibited superior results in terms of decreasing blood loss and had a better graft take rate compared with treatment with epinephrine tumescence.