Effect of metronidazole combined with autolytic debridement for the management of malignant wound malodor

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of metronidazole combined with autolytic debridement for the management of malignant wound malodor. METHODS: Patients with malignant wounds who underwent dressing change at a wound outpatient clinic from September 2016 to February 2019 were randomized to an observation group (36 patients) or a control group (37 patients). The observation group was treated with metronidazole combined with debridement gel while the control group received wet dressing therapy combined with silver sulfadiazine. Malodor control was compared between the two groups from treatment initiation to days 3 and 12 after dressing change, and the social impact scale was used to compare stigma caused by malodor between the groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: The observation group had significantly superior malodor control on days 3 and 12 after dressing change compared with the control group. There was no difference in stigma between the two groups before treatment, but stigma in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group after treatment. CONCLUSION: Metronidazole combined with autolytic debridement can effectively reduce the malodor of cancerous wounds while controlling infection, and alleviate patient stigma caused by malodor.