Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: November | Volume: 7 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 9-17
Recombinant Human Epidermal Growth Factor in Healing of Pressure Ulcers
Dr. B. Ananda Rama Rao1, Dr. M. Datta Prasad2
1Professor of Surgery, SVS Medical College Mahabubnagar, Telangana
2Resident in Surgery, SVS Medical College Mahabubnagar, Telangana
Corresponding Author: Dr. B. Ananda Rama Rao
ABSTRACT
Treating pressure ulcers is a frustrating challenge for any surgeon. We have studied the use of Recombinant Human Epidermal Growth Factor (rhEGF) for treating pressure ulcers that occur over bony points in 25 patients. This is prospective double blind randomized study with control group being placebo containing paraffin jelly. Ulcers are graded as per” Pressure Ulcer Grading System (according to the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel Grading System” The period observed for healing of ulcer is 12 weeks. We have observed that there is no difference in the time for healing overall for all grades of ulcers in both the groups; bur there is significant percentage of complete healing of the ulcers in rhEGF group (p0.014). The literature also supports the use of rhEGF in chronic non healing ulcers with much more promising results. It is worth trying rhEGF in pressure ulcers and chronic non healing ulcers with aim to promote neovascularization which ultimately will help in healing of ulcers.
Key words: Recombinant human epidermal growth factor, rhEGF, pressure ulcers, ulcer healing