Can Pure Silk Compete with the Established Mepilex Ag® in the Treatment of Superficial Partial Thickness Burn Wounds? A Prospective Intraindividual Study.

Abstract

Introduction: Superficial partial thickness burns generally do not require surgical intervention and are managed with specialized wound dressings. Mepilex Ag^® is commonly used and often represents the standard of care. This study evaluated the clinical performance of pure silk compared to Mepilex Ag^®.

Methods: A prospective, single-center intraindividual study was conducted on adult patients with superficial partial thickness burns. Each burn wound was divided, treating one half with pure silk and the other with Mepilex Ag^®. Clinical parameters including wound closure time, pain levels, and scar quality at 3-month follow-up were analyzed.

Results: Twenty-four patients were included (mean TBSA: 5.8%). Mepilex Ag^® showed a trend towards a shorter wound closure time (10.5 vs. 11.5 days; p = 0.223). Pain scores remained below 4/10 for both dressings throughout treatment. However, Mepilex Ag^® demonstrated significantly lower pain on day one (3.5 vs. 2.77; p = 0.039) and day two (2.91 vs. 2.27; p = 0.041). Scar quality after 3 months was similar.

Conclusion: Both dressings proved to be effective treatment options. Pure silk required fewer resources, showed high clinical practicality, and demonstrated a similar performance to Mepilex Ag^® in key clinical parameters, making it an interesting option for other clinics and our standard of care.