A new principle for the cleansing of infected wounds.

When dry porous hydrophilic beads, formed by a threedimensional network of dextran polymers, are placed on a discharging wound, they absorb the exudate and swell to form of a gelatinous layer. Within this gelatinous layer a separation of substances occurs according to their molecular weights, with the smaller (MW 5000) remaining in the interspaces. Since proteins are removed from the wound surface with the fluid, crustformation on the wound is prevented. Clotting within the gel layer does not occur, since, as shown in another study (Aberg, Hedner, Jacobsson & Rothman 1976), wound exudate contains a high amount of fibrin-fibrinogen split products and no coagulable fibrinogen. Therefore as long as dry beads are available, exudate can be sucked up. With the wound exudate bacteria, degradation products and toxins are removed from the wound surface. A substance with the above described properties Debrisan® (Pharmacia AB, Sweden) was used to t...