Comparing the Effectiveness of Green Tea versus Topical Metronidazole Powder in Malodorous Control of Fungating Malignant Wounds in a Controlled Randomised Study:

摘要

Aim:To test the efficacy of green tea with that of conventional topical metronidazole powder by comparing the rate of malodorous score reduction using the verbal numeric scale (VNS).Methods:This was a prospective randomised experimental study comparing two types of odour control agents used for treating malodorous fungating malignant wounds in a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Patients were randomised to either control (metronidazole power) or treatment (green tea) group and was follow-up with a daily dressing for a week by a designated nurse. Both patient and designated nurse would rate the malodorous score daily on a VNS of 0 (no smell) to 10 (worst smell that one can imagine).Results:Thirty cancer patients with malodorous fungating wounds were randomised into either treatment (n=15) or control group (n=15). The location of wounds were breast (n=24), neck (n=2), groin (n=2), spine (n=1) and anus (n=1). All patients in both groups showed improvement in odour control by Day 7. Treatment group was as effec...