Pineapple Enzyme Offers Hope for Young burn Victims: Italian Hospital Reports Success
FLORENCE, Italy – A groundbreaking, non-surgical treatment utilizing bromelain – an enzyme found in pineapple – is dramatically improving outcomes for young burn patients at the Meyer pediatric hospital in Florence. In the past year alone, the hospital’s Burns Center, led by Dr.Flavio Facchini, has successfully treated 80 children with burns using the innovative method.
The treatment, authorized by AIFA for pediatric use since 2024, employs enzymes to selectively break down damaged skin cells while leaving healthy tissue intact. This approach significantly reduces the need for conventional, invasive procedures like skin grafts and transplants, leading to better scar quality and a lessened overall impact on patients’ lives. One notable case involves 12-year-old G., who recovered and returned to a normal life after suffering burns covering 30% of her body from a flammable substance explosion.
Meyer hospital was the first in Italy to adopt this therapy, made possible by the contributions of Professor Zaccaria Ricci’s anesthesia team and the establishment of a dedicated treatment pathway within the hospital. The hospital recently hosted a symposium celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Burns center and the 35th anniversary of the Tuscan Association of Pediatric Burn Rehabilitation Treatment, where the positive results of the bromelain treatment were a central focus.
