CHONGQING, China—A study published in The Journal of Trauma, found bromelain to be effective in the debridement of uncomplicated firearm wounds if used as a supplement to simple wound incision (March 10, 2011). Traditionally, wound excision is the standard treatment for firearm wounds; however, achieving a satisfactory curative effect is difficult because of the traumatic mechanism of high-velocity projectiles. Therefore, researchers proposed a new therapy by using topical bromelain as a supplement to wound incision for the debridement of firearm wounds. They clarified the debriding effect of bromelain on firearm wounds in pigs.
In vitro, muscle tissues around the wound track and normal muscle were incubated in bromelain solutions of different concentrations. Tissue hydrolization was estimated by measuring tissue weight and the release of total amino acids. In vivo, the hind limbs of 15 pigs were wounded with high-velocity projectiles. Five groups were classified as follows: wound excision (E), wound incision (I), bromelain (B), incision + bromelain (IB) and control (C). Debriding effectiveness was estimated using bacterial content, histopathologic examination and wound healing time.
In vitro, hydrolization of wound tissue was significantly more intensive than that of normal tissue. Bromelain solution (10 mg/mL) hydrolyzed wound tissue rapidly with minimal proteolysis of normal tissue. In vivo, the wound-track bacterial content of group IB was similar to group E and was significantly lower than groups I, B and C. The wound healing time of group IB was also shorter. Researchers noted that the new therapy showed notable advantages over conventional surgical debridement, as it greatly simplifies the procedures.