Effect of enzymatic debridement with two different collagenases versus mechanical debridement on chronic hard-to-heal wounds

A chronic ulcer is usually defined as an injury that does not spontaneously evolve towards healing and does not progress through normal healing stages such as inflammation, proliferation and remodelling. This study was designed in order to compare two types of collagenases with mechanical debridement alone. It was thus possible to evaluate their differences in terms of pain and debridement efficacy. Patients were divided into three groups: 30 patients were daily dressed using an ointment based on collagenase produced by Vibrio alginolyticus (B group), 30 patients were daily dressed using an ointment based on a collagenase preparation derived from Clostridium histolyticum (N group) and 30 patients underwent classical mechanical debridement (M group). Complete wound healing over a period of 8 weeks occurred in 24 patients (27%) out of 90;10 patients belonging to the B group, 8 patients to the N group and 6 patients to the M group. This study was performed in order to highlight the differences between two commercially available collagenase-based ointments in comparison with mechanical debridement alone. At the final time point of week, the difference in the percentage of debridement was not statistically significant in all groups, but at 4 weeks, the debrided area in the B group was larger with respect to the N and M groups, suggesting a more rapid wound bed cleansing process. On the basis of our experience, collagenase derived from V. alginolyticus with hyaluronic acid showed chemical and physical properties that make it a product of great manageability and ensure the protection of peri-wound skin. Moreover, less pain was experienced by the patients.