Surgery and Radiology Section

OTHER TOPICAL MEDICATIONS

Topical Hydrogel wound dressing

• It is a water soluble gel that contains acemannan that enhances healing by stimulating macrophages to produce cytokines interleukin – 1 and tumour necrosis factor.
• These, intern increases fibroblast proliferation, revascularization, epidermal growth and collagen deposition.
• This is indicated for first and second degree burns, lacerations, dermal ulcers, and abrasions on horses, dogs and cats.
• Because of its early primary activity within 2 days period, the wound dressing is currently used daily in a 7 day – on, 7 day off regimen.

1. Aloe vera

• Aloe vera gel is extracted from the aloe leaf and contains 75 potentially active constituents. It has antimicrobial and antifungal activity. It is used on burns because of its antimicrobial effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
• The antiprostaglandin and antithromboxane properties of aloe vera medications are beneficial in maintaining vascular patency and thus avert dermal ischemia.
• It has so many other activities on wound like stimulation of fibroblastic replication, penetration and anesthetizing tissue, promoting wound healing, stimulating tissue repair in suppurating wounds and resistant ulcers by promoting epithelial growth.
• Aloe vera counteracts the inhibitory effects of silver sulfadiazine when the two are combined.

2. Tripeptide-copper complex

• Tripeptide-copper complex stimulates wound healing and is a chemoattractant for mast cells, monocytes, and macrophages, which stimulate debridement, angiogenesis, collagen synthesis, and epithelialization.
• The best time to begin tripeptide-copper complex application is the late inflammatory and early repair phases, with treatment continuing into later repair phase.
• Its greatest effect is in the first 7 days of its use. Exuberant granulation tissue may be a problem with this agent.

3. Honey and sugar

• Honey is an old agent that has seen renewed interest.
• Its benefits include enhancing wound debridement, reducing edema and inflammation, promoting granulation tissue formation and epithelialization, and improving wound nutrition.
• It has an antimicrobial and a deodorizing effect.
• Like honey, sugar has similar hypertonic effects.
• Sugar is applied in a 1cm thick layer, and the wound is bandaged after debridement and lavage.
• Honey is applied by impregnating sterile gauze, which is then positioned on the wound and covered with a thick, absorbent bandage. They are indicated in the inflammatory and early repair phases of healing.

Live yeast cell derivative

• Live yeast cell derivative (or) skin respiratory factor is a water soluble extract of a brewer’s yeast ( saccharomyces cerevisiae).
• It has been reported to contain substance (or) tissue oxygen consumption, epithelialization and collagen synthesis.
• It is indicated for treatment of open wounds that are in the repair stages of healing with healthy granulation tissue and epithelium progressing over the granulation tissue.