Resin Salve Versus Honey Treatment in Wound Care

Comparison of Resin Salve and Medical Honey in Wound Care in Vascular Surgery Patients - A Prospective, Randomized and Controlled Clinical Trial

In recent years, salve prepared from Norway spruce (Picea abies) resin and refined honey from manuka myrtle (Leptospermum scoparium), has successfully been used in medical context to treat both acute and chronic surgical wounds. The objective of this prospective, randomized and controlled clinical trial is to investigate healing rate and healing time of surgical wounds in patients, who have undergone peripheral vascular surgery, and whose complicated wounds are candidate for topical treatment with the resin or honey. In addition, factors contributing with delayed wound healing, antimicrobial properties, safety and cost-effectiveness of the resin salve and medical honey will be analyzed.

The resin salve may be spread directly onto the wound, after which the area is covered with a bandage suitable for local wound care. The bandage prohibits salve from moving away from the wound area. If the skin condition is more widespread or contains cavities or fistulae, the salve may be spread as a film with a thickness of at least 1 mm onto a gauze or gauze ribbon that is then used to fill the cavity or fistulae channel. Bandages are changed every 1-3 days, depending on the degree of infection and amount of wound secretion.

Wound care with the medical honey is carried out in the same manner than the resin salve treatment: honey may be spread directly onto the wound and the wound area is covered with a bandage suitable for local wound care. Similarly, if the skin condition is more widespread or wound contains cavities or fistulae, the medical honey may be spread as a film with a thickness of at least 1 mm onto a gauze or gauze ribbon that is then used to fill the cavity or fistulae channel. Bandages are changed every 1-3 days, depending on the severity of infection and amount of wound secretion.

Safety and compliance related with the resin salve or medical honey treatment. Eradication rate of cultured pathogenic bacteria from wounds within 6 months. Overall costs of resin salve and medical honey treatment within 6 months.

Inclusion Criteria: Infected of non-infected acute or chronic wound after vascular surgery. Need for topical wound care. Need for wound healing follow-up at the surgical outpatient department. Exclusion Criteria: Life expectancy less than 6 months. Advanced malignant disease. Need for extensive surgical wound revision or skin transplantation.