Effectiveness of banana leaf dressing versus paraffin tulle gras dressing in the management of pemphigus vulgaris wounds: A pilot within-person randomized controlled, blinded outcome assessment trial.

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune blistering disorder characterized by widespread blisters and painful moist erosions involving large body surface area causing significant discomfort and distress to the patients. These erosions also predispose to development of infections and worsens the disease activity. Hence local wound care with the appropriate dressings is an essential component in the management of pemphigus patients apart from immunosuppressive therapy.  Banana leaves are an unlimited source of biomaterial and have a smooth and waxy surface that does not stick and has inherent wound healing properties as reported in various studies on burns, skin donor site wounds and facial traumatic wounds, making it a viable option in wound management resource poor settings.While there are published trials proving the therapeutic benefits of banana leaf dressing in burns patients, donor sites of split thickness grafts and contused, lacerated and sutured wounds of head and neck area, there are no studies that have evaluated effectiveness of banana leaf dressing in the management of wounds in pemphigus vulgaris except for a single case report.

If banana leaf dressing is found to be effective in achieving adequate wound healing and alleviation of symptoms in pemphigus vulgaris when compared to the conventional paraffin tulle gras dressing, it can be incorporated in the routine management of pemphigus vulgaris which can reduce the need for high expenditure on dressing, especially in tropical countries where banana leaves are available in abundance.