Experience with Versajet Hydrosurgery for Burn Debridement in Children: A Case Series

S Belhassen¹, A Toumi¹, S Mosbahi¹, S Laribi¹, A Ksia¹, M Ksia¹, I Krichene¹, S Chakroun², M Ben Mansour², M Belghith¹, L Sahnoun¹

¹Pediatric surgery department, Fattouma Bourguiba Hospital.
²Pediatric anaesthesia and intensive care department, Fattouma Bourguiba Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia

Background:

Conventional burn wound debridement involves tangential excision of eschar with a knife or dermabrasion until viable dermis or punctate bleeding is reached. The Versajet™ hydrosurgery system (Smith & Nephew) offers an alternative, potentially preserving dermal tissue and reducing scarring. We present our experience using Versajet hydrosurgery for managing deep full-thickness burns in children

Materials and methods:

We conducted a review of patients admitted to the burn unit at Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Monastir, from 2023 to 2025, who underwent debridement using the Versajet® hydrosurgical system for deep, full-thickness burns. Clinical characteristics of the burns were analyzed. Post-Versajet outcomes were assessed in terms of postoperative hospital stay duration and short- and medium-term results

Results
Five pediatric patients with thermal burns (four from flames and two from hot oil) were managed using the Versajet® hydrosurgical system. The mean age of the patients was 7.3 years, ranging from 5 to 10 years. The average TBSA burned was 10.3%, with a range of 5% to 15% with a 3^rd degree depth. Versajet® allowed for precise and efficient debridement in a single operating room session, utilizing various nozzles to ensure minimal tissue loss while maintaining viable dermis. Skin grafting was performed within a few days of debridement, with all grafts demonstrating excellent adherence and satisfactory short-term healing and no secondary infections were observed following the use of the Versajet® system. The use of Versajet® significantly reduced the duration of hospital stays by enabling rapid and effective debridement, followed by timely grafting. This streamlined approach contributed to favorable clinical outcomes and efficient resource utilization.

Conclusion:

The Versajet™ system's precision and ability to preserve dermal tissue have proven that it is particularly advantageous for managing deep burns in children, potentially reducing hospital stay, minimizing scarring and improving long-term outcomes.

Keywords: fullthickness burn, hydrosurgical excision, versajet, outcomes

S Belhassen¹, A Toumi¹, S Mosbahi¹, S Laribi¹, A Ksia¹, M Ksia¹, I Krichene¹, S Chakroun², M Ben Mansour², M Belghith¹, L Sahnoun¹

¹Pediatric surgery department, Fattouma Bourguiba Hospital.
²Pediatric anaesthesia and intensive care department, Fattouma Bourguiba Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia

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