gms | German Medical Science

Up to date only limited options are available in the initial wound management of severe burns in children. There is evidence for enzymatic wound debridement with the bromelain containing substance NexoBrid™ in adults, but this treatment is still classified as off-label use in children. For this reason we started a clinical trial in order to examine and evaluate the use of NexoBrid™ in children. We analyzed the outcomes of 23 NexoBrid™ procedures at the extremities in ten children with severe burns of degree 2b and higher over a period of twelve months. The results were excellent in all 23 procedures in terms of pigmentation, vascularity, pliability and scar height at a six-month follow-up examination. The good impression of our picture documentation at this time could be confirmed by an excellent result in the Vancouver Scar Scale.

Neither the burn location nor the depth were a limiting factor for NexoBrid™ use during our clinical trial. On the contrary, NexoBrid™ showed beneficial effects in complicated circumferential burn wounds on the distal areas of the forearms which normally indicates a difficult treatment. We are very contended with this trials outcome and highly recommend additional use in children in further studies to gather more knowledge about this therapy.