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TerminatedNCT02259491Updated Jan 10, 2020

Manuka Honey for Wound Care

A Phase 4 interventional study of Manuka Honey Dressing in Wound Healing, sponsored by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Terminated at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-01-10.

Sponsored by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
10
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Since antiquity, honey has been recognized for its healing properties. Literature about the use of medicinal honey for wound care dates back centuries with recent data suggesting its use in patients suffering from burns or pressure ulcers. Research has shown Manuka honey (Leptospermum scoparium) to have significant immune benefits and the ability to influence all phases of wound healing: inflammation, proliferation and remodeling. In addition, numerous clinical studies have identified positive benefits for wound healing. However, there is a lack of prospective, randomized controlled data on the use of honey as a medicinal agent in local wound care and scar healing.

In order to better understand Manuka Honey's ability to aid in healing, the investigators are conducting a randomized, controlled, single-blinded study of patients undergoing reconstructive surgery. This project uses split thickness skin graft and free tissue transfer donor sites as standard wound models to compare the effects of Manuka Honey versus standard wound care therapies. Through the use of standard wound model and objective measurement tools, the investigators hope to better elucidate any benefits of this novel wound care 'technology.'

Read the detailed description

Free tissue transfer (FTT) and split-thickness skin grafting (STSG) are important aspects of head and neck reconstruction. The radial forearm skin flap and fibula osteocutaneous flap are commonly used in head and neck reconstruction. After harvest, closure of these donor sites often requires split thickness skin grafting. The grafting is usually done from the thigh. The grafted free flap donor site along with the STSG donor site is often the source of significant post-operative pain and complications including delayed wound healing, graft loss and infection. There is no consensus in the literature on the best care for these donor sites with surgeons employing a wide variety of surgical dressings for local wound care. There is literature dating back centuries on the use of medicinal honey for wound care, with recent data suggesting its use in patients suffering from burns or pressure ulcers. However, there is a lack of prospective, randomized controlled data on the use of honey as a medicinal agent in local wound care.

02

Conditions studied

  • Wound Healing

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Keywords

  • Wound Healing
  • Honey
  • Skin Grafts
  • Free tissue transfer
03

In context

Wounds and Injuries

5,056 studies on the registry are indexed under Wounds and Injuries; 861 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 10 is below the median of 52 across 3,239 interventional studies indexed under Wounds and Injuries.

Browse Wounds and Injuries studies →

Lead sponsor

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is the lead sponsor of 764 studies on the registry; 181 are open to participants now.

Of its 121 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 82 (68%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • All patients over the age of 18 undergoing reconstructive surgery with FTT and/or STSG

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • All patients under the age of 18
  • Any patients with documented honey allergy
  • Patients with documented collagen vascular diseases
  • Patients with documented coagulopathy
  • Patients with history of prior skin grafting
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
10 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Manuka Honey Dressing

    Patient receive manuka honey dressings on skin graft and free flap donor sites

    Other: Manuka Honey Dressing

  • No intervention
    Tegaderm and xeroform gauze

    Patient receive standard wound care on skin graft and free flap donor sites which includes a tegaderm over the STSG site and xeroform gauze covered with dry gauze, kerlex and a cast for the STSG recipient site

Interventions

  • OtherManuka Honey Dressing

    After surgical resection and reconstruction the skin graft donor site (thigh) and the free flap donor site will be dressed with Medihoney surgical dressings. More specifically, a dressing of appropriate size will be applied to the anterior thigh and covered with tegaderm. For the STSG recipient site a Medihoney dressing will cover the skin graft, followed by dry gauze, kerlex and a cast.

    Also known as: Medihoney, Calcium algninate dressings, Dermasciences

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Scar Scale

    Physician assessment of scar by Modified Vancouver Scar Scale

    Time frame: up to 7 days

Secondary outcomes

  1. Pain scores

    Assessed by standardized and validated post-operative pain scores

    Time frame: up to 7 days

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
    New York, New York 10029, United States
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 10, 2020, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02259491
Lead sponsor
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Oct 8, 2014
Start date
Dec 2013
Primary completion
Jan 12, 2017
Completion
Jan 12, 2017
Last update
Jan 10, 2020

Study contacts

Joshua Rosenberg, MD
principal investigator · Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is terminated, as verified in Feb 2018. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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