Effects of Topical Honey Dressing on Infected Wounds after Gynecological and Obstetrical Abdominal Surgery

El-Agamy, Mona; Hassan, Shadia Abd El-kader; El Far, Naeim Fatoh; El-Khayat, Iman Abd El-Azziz

doi:10.21608/tsnj.2012.74447

Effects of Topical Honey Dressing on Infected Wounds after Gynecological and Obstetrical Abdominal Surgery

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Assistant lecturer Maternity and Gynecological Nursing Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University.

² Prof. Dr. Maternity and Newborn health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Cairo University.

³ Prof. of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University.

⁴ Lecturer of Maternity and Gynecological Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University

10.21608/tsnj.2012.74447

Abstract

Despite use of prophylactic antibiotics, wound infections remain common. Post operative wound infections develop in 4% of patients following inpatient gynecologic surgery and in 5% to 7% ofpatients undergoing primary cesarean section. The use of honey as a wound dressing material is an ancient remedy that has been rediscovered.
The aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of topical honey dressing on infected wounds after obstetrical and gynecological abdominal surgery as compared to the routine hospital wound care. This study was conducted on 60 women were recruited from Tanta University hospitals at Obstetrical and Gynecological Department. Where 30 of them were dressed according routine wound care of the hospitals, which includes local antiseptics, daily dressing, and antibiotic. And the others were dressed by honey (Api-care) dressing plus the routine hospital wound care.
The result of the study revealed that the mean age of the honey group was 30.87 ± 8.41 while the other groups mean age was 35.17 ± 9.92 which was statistically not significant (p=0.061). Results of honey dressing showed remarkable change compared to other method. After 6 days of dressing, wound appearance among those dressed by honey was normal among 100% of cases compared to grey or white pallor appearance for the other group. Honey dressed group showed 100% significant improvement, mild pain, non exudates which was significantly different from other group (p=0.001). the mean duration of management of cases with honey was found to be 11 days compared to 20 cases for other group which was found to be significantly different at p=0.001. The researcher concluded that topical application of sterile topical honey cream (Api-care) could eradicate organisms within short time, reduce period of antibiotic use, accelerate the healing process in unique and economic way, result in minimal scar formation, prevent wound dehiscence and need for re- suturing. weight, 15.8% in overweight, and 37.5 in obese women.