HYPOCHLOROUS ION BASED DRESSING: THROWBACK TO THE SURGEONS’ CHOICE

Abstract

1.1 BACKGROUND : As per Robbin's pathology(Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease - 10th Edition, n.d.) "an ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughing out of inamed necrotic tissue." In an era of modern-day fast track surgery and premier practices of medicine, management of wound remains an archaic, almost omnipresent challenge to a health care provider mediating the need for solutions. The hunt for an optimum dressing agent has been everlasting, one of which is our point of discussion in this study. The addition of Chlorine(Cl2) to Water(H2O) gives rise to Hypochlorous ion, a weak acid that has been used traditionally as disinfectant, sterilizer and beaches. These properties can be utilised for wound disinfection and swifter wound healing. 1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Ÿ To study the efcacy of Hypochlorous ion-based dressing over traditional normal saline based dressing . Ÿ To study the effects factoring in various associated comorbidities in patients such as Diabetes Mellitus, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Trauma and Pressure Ulcer. 1.3 METHODOLOGY: A comparative study was conducted in a tertiary care facility in India that included 101 patients who were distributed randomly utilizing computerised algorithms into study and control group. The control group received daily normal saline dressing whereas the study group underwent daily hypochlorous ion-based dressing. The subjects were analysed after 4 weeks and evaluated for decrease in wound surface area and improvement of wound quality and tabulated for analysis. 1.4 CONCLUSION: Hypochlorous ion based daily dressing shows signicant reduction in wound surface area as well as signicantly better and faster improvement in the quality of wound in patients of Traumatic, Diabetic and Pressure Ulcer whereas the results in patients suffering from Peripheral Vascular Disease were equivocal.