EVALUATION IN-VIVO AND IN-VITRO OF THE PERFORMANCE OF INTERACTIVE DRESSINGS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMAL SOFT-TISSUE INJURIES

Over the last 35 years there has been extensive research into human wo unds and consequent evolutionary changes in their management. Products such as vapour-permeable films, alginates, hydrocolloids, hydrogels a nd foams have been developed, all of which contribute in different way s to the enhancement of the healing cascade. The first part of this st udy assessed the influence on animal wound healing of some of these co ntemporary wound-management products With animal wounds the major prob lem is their isolation from the aggression of both the patient and the environment. The second part of this paper is directed at the develop ment of an occlusive chamber to enable topically applied medicaments t o remain in contact with the wound surface and presents the initial re sults of a programme of investigation directed at producing a 'ring' a dhesive to overcome the adherence problems presented by lipid concentr ation and hirsutism. This adhesive also allows successive applications of contemporary dressings.