OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of early tangential excision on the prevention of the progression of deep partial thickness burn wound.

METHODSTwelve burn patients with deep partial thickness burn wound were enrolled and received tangential excision of the burn wound within 24 postburn hours (PBHs). The histological samples were harvested from the wound before and 5 - 7 postoperative days (PODs) after the operation and the wound without operation 5 - 7 postburn days (PBDs). The samples were observed by means of HE staining, Masson's staining and the labelling of Vimentin antigen positive cells by immunohistological skill.

RESULTSThe inflammatory reaction of the burn wound without operation aggravated progressively along with that of disease and the tissue necrosis area enlarged. And the residual skin appendages disappeared due to the enhanced inflammatory reaction. The brown area expanded and light green area shrinked by Masson's staining. The Vimentin antigen positive cell count decreased significantly. But in the burn wound being performed tangential excision within 24 PBHs, focal inflammatory reaction exhibited evident ligher than that in burn wound without operation. Moreover, there appeared fresh granulation formation and partial epithelial coverage with no enlarged necrotic tissue area in the operated wound when compared with that in non-operated wound (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the light green area exhibited no obvious shrinking by Masson's staining and the Vimentin antigen positive cell count was much more in the operation area than that in non-operative area (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIt might be beneficial to the host to perform tangential excision within 24 PBHs, which could remove burn wound necrotic tissue in time and hamper the progression of tissue degenerative injury. The healing process of deep partial thickness burn wound was therefore accelerated.