Treatment of Second- and Third-Degree Abdominal Burns with Factor™
A 67-year-old paraplegic patient presented with second- and third-degree burns to the anterior abdominal wall after a hair dryer was inadvertently left resting on the abdomen. Reduced sensation delayed recognition of the severity of the injury, and the patient attempted self-treatment for approximately one week before presenting to the wound care center.
Case at a Glance
Patient
Wound
67-year-old paraplegic
patient
Second- and third-degree burns with eschar
Location
Presentation
Approximately one week after injury
Anterior abdominal wall
Treatment Approach
At the initial visit, the wounds were evaluated and staged, and eschar was removed from the wound margins. Factor™ wound and burn hydrogel dressing was applied directly to the burn areas. The wounds were then covered with Adaptic and 4 × 4 dressings and secured with an outer dressing. The patient was instructed in dressing changes and asked to return weekly for follow-up.
Healing Progression
The source case report documents the wound over six dated visits from May 26 through June 30, 2023.
May 26, 2023
June 2, 2023
June 8, 2023
June 16, 2023
June 23, 2023
June 30, 2023
Clinical Outcome
Substantial healing was reported at the patient’s first return visit, with continued progress throughout the month of care. The patient reported that her discomfort subsided after starting treatment. According to the case report, the wounds did not become infected, and scarring and contracture were considered minimal relative to the severity of the burns.
About Factor™ Technology
Factor™ is a transparent, thermoreversible hydrogel designed to maintain a moist wound environment and help dissolve wound biofilms. It is thin at room temperature and becomes a viscous hydrogel at body temperature, allowing it to conform to the wound bed and wound tunnels.
Clinical Team
Michael Lavor, MD
Medical Director, Saguaro Wound Care Clinic. Dr. Lavor served as Department Chairman for General and Vascular Surgery at Tucson Medical Center and as Chief of Surgery and Staff at El Dorado Hospital. He is board certified in general surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a past president of the Rocky Mountain Vascular Surgical Society and a Fellow of the Southwestern Surgical Congress. He served as Commander/OIC of a surgical base in Afghanistan from 2012–2013.
Jessica Barcelo, CCMA
Jessica Barcelo is a clinically certified medical assistant. She served two years as clinical lead for an urgent care center, with an additional two years of experience as a wound care specialist.