Marsh Clive, Simcock Jeremy, Loan Fiona, Cassidy Sharon

1. A case study series evaluation of
a range of keratin-based
dressings for partial thickness
burns
Clive Marsh clive.marsh@keraplast.com;
www.keraplast.com
Sharon Cassidy SOS Nursing, Christchurch, NZ
Fiona Loan & Jeremy Simcock Department of Plastic
and Reconstructive Surgery, Christchurch Hospital, NZ

2. • Unmet clinical need for burn product that can:
– protect from external infection and trauma,
– accelerate epithelialisation,
– assist with re-modelling and scar minimisation
– provide comfort for the patient with minimal itch, pain to allow the patient to
rapidly resume activities of daily living (ADLs);
– easy to use allowing dressing changes to take place in the home or community
setting.
– Can be used on difficult to dress areas: face & neck etc.
• Keratin Gel and Keratin Matrix evaluated
– n=40 (61 burns), < 10% TBSA, fresh (presented < 24hrs post-injury), non
infected burns, superficial~deep partial thickness, all parts of body
• Straightforward healing in 95%- complications were 2x infection Tx with
oral/topical antibiotics and 1 very deep partial thickness burn needed grafting.
• Only 5% had any detectable permanent skin change and in all cases
only minor.
• Products met all identified unmet clinical needs

3. RESULTS - Facial Burn- used keratin gel.
Day 0
Day 2- keratin gel
being applied
daily
Day 8- had
epithelialised
after 5 days

4. RESULTS - Partial Thickness Leg Burn- used
combination of keratin gel and keratin matrix
4 Months
Day 12
Day 4
Day 7
Day 2
1 year

5. Study Highlights
• Keratin gel :
– Provides physical barrier to infection and protects from trauma
– Maintains moist wound healing
– Accelerates epithelisation
– Minimises scarring and permanent skin changes
– Easy and comfortable to use and change in the community
– Allows rapid return to Activities of Daily Living
– Can be used on difficult to dress areas- e.g. face & neck.
– Minimal pain and apprehension in paediatrics.
• Keratin Matrix:
– Handles exudate well on wetter (e.g. trunk/ leg) burns
• Products being enthusiastically adopted in centre where study
was done.