Burns Wound Dressing Volatile Compounds- Pilot Study (DRESSVOCS)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The assessment of volatile compounds on discarded burns wound dressings (Pilot study)
IRAS ID
129521
Contact name
Amber ER Young
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust
Research summary
Study will look at the gases released from wound dressings used to treat adults and children with burn injuries as a method of detecting wound infection. The findings will inform a future study to develop a point of care bedside device for burn wound infection detection. For this study we will be asking patients and parents of children with burns if we can send their used wound dressings to a university laboratory. They will be enclosed in air-tight bags and transported to the university, where the gas emanating from the dressing samples will be analysed using a machine capable of differentiating compounds (smells) which indicate the presence of bacteria. The dressings, which would have been discarded in a clinical waste bin, will be placed in a clear bag and sealed. The bag will be securely stored until collection by the scientist from the University. Patient details will be collected including: age, gender, ethnic origin, date of injury, cause of injury, type of burn (scald, flame, contact), depth of burn, date and time the dressing was removed, type of dressing, location of the burn on the body, and clinical signs of infection including wound picture. This data will only be able to be linked back to the patient with a unique study identification number. This will be securely stored in the site file at the clinical study site. If as a part of the patient's routine treatment there is a requirement for blood tests and wound swabs, these tests will be linked back to the study findings. The aim of the pilot study is to understand the practicalities of determining the gases released from burn wound dressings at various time points after injury in different wound conditions and linking this back to clinical pictures of infection to inform a future study
REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/0787
Date of REC Opinion
20 May 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion