COMPARISON OF OUTCOME OF BIOLOGICAL DRESSING VS 5% POVIDONE IODINE + H2O2 SOLUTION ON WOUNDS divyata.vasa@gmail.com

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COMPARISON OF OUTCOME OF BIOLOGICAL DRESSING VS 5% POVIDONE IODINE + H2O2 SOLUTION ON WOUNDS

3

India

Oral or Poster

Chronic wounds fail to progress through normal healing, causing prolonged morbidity and increased healthcare costs. Carica papaya, containing proteolytic enzymes papain and chymopapain, has been traditionally used for enzymatic debridement with antibacterial, antioxidant, and collagen-promoting effects. This study compares papaya pulp dressings with conventional 5% povidone iodine plus hydrogen peroxide in chronic wound management.

A randomized, open-label study was conducted on 104 inpatients with chronic non-healing wounds, equally divided into two groups. Group A received daily dressings with 5% povidone iodine + hydrogen peroxide, while Group B received autoclaved gauze with grated raw papaya pulp for 24 hours. The primary endpoint was appearance of healthy granulation tissue. Secondary outcomes included time to granulation, surgical debridement requirement, dressing frequency, and patient-reported pain (Visual Analog Scale).

Mean age was 63.5 years in the papaya group and 50.9 years in the conventional group; males comprised 93% in both groups. Diabetes was the most frequent comorbidity (39% papaya, 32% conventional). Healthy granulation developed earlier with papaya (mean ~7 days) versus conventional (~10 days). Surgical debridement was required in 25% of papaya cases versus 50% of conventional cases. All papaya cases required once-daily dressings, while 46% of conventional cases required twice-daily changes. Pain scores were significantly lower in the papaya group (VAS mean 4.7) compared to conventional dressings (VAS mean 7).

Papaya pulp dressings accelerated granulation, reduced surgical debridement and dressing frequency, and alleviated pain, establishing them as an effective, inexpensive, and patient-friendly alternative for chronic wound care.