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Biomedical subjects

A Charters

Publications and source records attributed to A Charters.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Wound glue: a comparative study of tissue adhesives.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to determine which single-use wound adhesive is the most appropriate in terms of ease of use, minimal pain on application, adequate bonding time and wound closure. The three wound adhesives audited were Indermil (n-butyl cynoacrylate), Liquiband (n-butyl cynoacrylate) and Dermabond (octylcyanoacrylate). SAMPLE AND SETTING: The study was conducted in an urban paediatric emergency department treating over 39,000 patients annually. The sample was taken from the client population presenting with lacerations requiring tissue adhesive closure, within the limitations of the study (n = 63). METHODOLOGY: A non-blinded comparative study was performed. Children presenting with an appropriate laceration were assigned to receive either Indermil, Dermabond or Liquiband. The wounds were closed following the guidelines stated by the individual manufacturers. The nurses administering the tissue adhesive were asked to complete the audit form post closure and to comment on the procedure in descriptive terms. RESULTS: Scalp wounds accounted for 79% (n = 50) of all the lacerations closed in the study. None of the glues were reported to be completely pain-free. However, the Liquiband tissue adhesive produced an average pain score of only 0.1, whereas the Dermabond tissue adhesive scored the highest at 0.97. The nurses using the tissue adhesives reported that Liquiband was the best tissue adhesive in terms of wound closure and ease of use. However, the only tissue adhesive to report a 100% success rate was Indermil. DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: All of the tissue adhesives examined produced satisfactory results in terms of wound closure and ease of use. However, the Liquiband tissue adhesive produced the most consistent results, scoring higher in most of the categories when compared with the other tissue adhesives.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Topical anaesthesia before suturing children's minor lacerations: a critical review.

This paper will critically review all the research carried out over the past 18 years concerning the use of topical anaesthetics for anaesthetizing wounds prior to closure. The review follows guidelines set out by Pollit and Hungler (1995) and Avis (1994) for critiquing research studies, and concentrates on the literature search, research objectives and design, data collection methods, sampling and data analysis.

Anesthesia, Local↗

Topical anaesthesia for children's lacerations: an acceptable approach?

OBJECTIVE: To compare the anaesthetic properties of conventional intradermal 1% plain lignocaine with a topical gel preparation of adrenaline (1:2000) and cocaine (4.7%) for use in treatment of children's lacerations. METHODS: Children aged 3-16 years with lacerations (not of the digits or mucous membranes) were consecutively assigned to receive either adrenaline and cocaine (AC) or lignocaine. Pain scores, as perceived by patients, parents, and staff, were measured conventionally using Wong Baker faces and visual analogue scales on administration of the local anaesthetic and on suturing the wound in the AC group (n = 56) and the lignocaine group (n = 51). RESULTS: Mean and median pain scores on administration of the anaesthetic in the AC group were significantly lower than in the lignocaine group as perceived by patient (P < 0.001), parent (P < 0.001), and staff (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in mean and median pain scores between the two groups on suturing the wounds, as perceived by patient, parent and staff. There was a significantly higher number of "failed" anaesthetics (pain scores 8-10) in the lignocaine group (P < 0.01). On direct questioning the overall procedure was considered acceptable by 84.5% of parents in the AC group compared with 61% of parents in the lignocaine group (P < 0.01). There were no significant complications in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Topical AC should be considered the local anaesthetic of first choice for suturing appropriate children's lacerations.

Administration, Topical↗