A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial on the Efficacy of Hydrocolloid Dressing vs. Topical Antibiotic on Wound Healing of Post-Punch Biopsy Wounds Among Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Manila

The main objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of using hydrocolloid dressing on wound healing of post-punch biopsy wounds vs topical antibiotic. Specifically, it aims to measure the following parameters: the presence or absence of infection, the clinical estimate of reepithelialization, the clinical estimate of wound closure, scar formation, pigmentation of scar, and the cosmetic appearance of the wound.

The study is a double-blind randomized controlled trial which will be conducted at the Dermatology outpatient department and the private clinics of dermatology consultants of the University of Santo Tomas Hospital. Patients who will be included are those who are 18 to 64 years of age with clean cutaneous lesions. Excluded from this study are those who have infected wounds, those who have conditions with poor tendency to heal including diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, history of keloid formation, those currently receiving anticoagulation therapy or systemic corticosteroids, and those known to have hypersensitivity to topical antibiotics.

The primary outcome measure is the proportion of patients who achieved better overall healing when treated with hydrocolloid dressing.