Banana Leaves as a Wound Dressing for Partial Thickness Second Degree Burns in Adult Patients.

Historically, banana leaves have been used as a burn wound dressing in developing countries. Current literature on banana leaf dressings is limited to predominantly pediatric patients and surgical wounds (i.e. skin graft donor sites). The comparison dressing is often other non-standard burn dressings (e.g. boiled potato peel bandage) and these studies are almost exclusively performed in tropical locations where banana plants grow naturally (Africa and Asia). To date, no study on the effectiveness of banana leaf dressings has been done in the United States, nor has there been a focus on their effectiveness in second degree partial thickness burns. Our pilot study aims to establish the feasibility of using banana leaf dressings for second degree partial thickness burn wounds in adult patients, in a geographic location that does not support natural banana agriculture.

Inclusion criteria

• <10% Total body surface area (TBSA) partial thickness burns
• Patients age 18 to 99
• Primary admission (inpatient) to the UCHealth Burn and Frostbite Center
• Burns <48 hours old on admission

Exclusion criteria

• Patients <18 years
• Patients who are pregnant, incarcerated, or cognitively impaired
• Burns >48 hours old on admission
• Patients with concurrent traumatic injuries
• Patients with chemical, electrical, or friction burns
• Full thickness burns
• Burns to sensitive areas: face, genitals, hands, feet
• Burns with evidence of infection on admission
• Patients with a known allergy to bananas or latex
• Patients with opioid use disorder or methamphetamine use disorder