Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Outcomes of Secondary Intention Wound Care Methods - Abstract
Background: The optimal method of postoperative secondary intention wound care, and the clinical effect of debridement on acute, postoperative wounds, is uncertain.
Objective: To study whether aggressive debridement is superior to minimal debridement for postoperative secondary intention wounds.
Methods: Prospective, randomized, clinical trial comparing aggressive debridement versus minimal debridement wound care methods in patients who underwent Mohs or
excisional surgery and had wounds allowed to heal by second intention.
Results: 52 patients were screened to enroll a total of 8 patients. Mean time to healing for the aggressive debridement group was 56.8 days (Range 27-96, SD 29.8) and 61.5
days (Range 35-89, SD 30.0) for the minimal debridement group (p=0.82). The mean total Patient Satisfaction Assessment Questionnaire score was 39.8 (SD 6.9) for the aggressive
debridement group and 45.0 (SD 6.5) for the minimal debridement group (p=0.36). The mean total Visual Analog Scale score for the aggressive debridement group was 32.3 (SD
12.7) and 23.7 (SD 8.0) for the minimal debridement group (p=0.24).
Conclusion: Our study found no statistically significant difference in time to healing, patient satisfaction, or cosmetic outcome between the two treatment groups. Aggressive
debridement is more time- and cost-intensive and may not offer additional benefits for acute, postoperative wounds.