Antimicrobial silicone-based dressings, such as wound dressings, are disclosed. An example dressing comprises a transparent and self-adhesive gel sheet cured from a liquid containing silicone, the sheet having dispersed therein (i) particulates of a chlorhexidine compound that is not soluble in the liquid; and (ii) at least one other antimicrobial. Methods of making the silicone-based dressings and methods of use are also disclosed.

There is provided a method for reducing microbial load at a site on the skin of a subject. The method comprises applying a dressing over the site on the skin of the subject at which a medical procedure that involves breaching the skin is to be performed. As used in the method, the dressing comprises a self-adhesive silicone gel sheet comprising at least about 95 wt % silicone and up to about 5 wt % of particulates of an antimicrobial dispersed in the silicone. The dressing is applied with the silicone gel sheet contacting the skin of the subject and is left in place to allow the antimicrobial to diffuse onto the site.

The invention is directed to a composition comprising: a polyurethane substrate; a hydrogel forming polymer on at least one of the two faces of the polyurethane substrate; and chlorhexidine on the at least one face comprising the hydrogel forming polymer; wherein the hydrogel polymer is covalently linked to the polyurethane substrate. The invention is also directed to a dressing in comprising the composition and to a process for the preparation of the composition, the process comprising the following steps: a) in impregnating at least one face of a polyurethane substrate with a solution comprising a reactive diolefin and a free radical initiator; b) extracting the polyurethane from the solution and, after drying, immerging the polyurethane in a solution containing the initiator catalyst and the hydrogel forming polymer to obtain PU covalently bond to a hydrogel forming polymer; c) extracting the polyurethane-hydrogel composition and drying in air; d) immerging the product of step iii) into an aqueous solution of chlorhexidine; e) collecting the polyurethane-hydrogel-chlorhexidine product from the solution and drying the obtained composition in air.

Medical articles formed from ionically bonding an ionic compound and an active agent provide enhanced properties. The ionic compound comprises an ionic additive incorporated into a base polymer. The ionic additive may be one or more of an anionic additive, a cationic additive, and a zwitterionic additive. Medical articles herein have antimicrobial, anti-fouling, and/or antithrombotic characteristics.

Adhesive compositions exhibiting antimicrobial properties, good stability, long shelf lives and enhanced release of antimicrobial agents are described. In certain versions, the compositions also exhibit relatively high fluid handling capacities. The adhesive compositions inhibit microbial growth by more than 2 log after 24 hours contact and particularly more than 3.5 log after 6 hours contact. Also described are various medical articles using such adhesives and related methods.

Compositions containing chlorhexidine gluconate solubilized in hydrophobic vehicles are described. Resin systems containing such chlorhexidine gluconate compositions, including adhesives and articles incorporating such resin systems, including medical articles such as drapes are also described.

The present invention related to a catheter device having a side port in which is contained an actuator, the actuator being configured to compress a tubing of the catheter device inwardly when a separated device is inserted into the side port, thereby opening a flowpath from the side port to the inner lumen of the catheter device. In some instances, the side port actuator further comprises an antimicrobial agent or is formed from an antimicrobial material whereby the actuator prevents antimicrobial growth or colonization within fluid that remains in the side port following use thereof.

The subject invention provides materials methods for reducing infections in subjects. The materials methods utilize chlorhexidine, which has been found to be surprisingly non-toxic. The lack of toxicity facilitates the use of chlorhexidine in contexts that were not previously thought to be possible.

Medical articles formed from ionically bonding an ionic compound and an active agent provide enhanced properties. The ionic compound comprises an ionic additive incorporated into a base polymer. The ionic additive may be one or more of an anionic additive, a cationic additive, and a zwitterionic additive. Medical articles herein have antimicrobial, anti-fouling, and/or antithrombotic characteristics.

An antibacterial wound dressing, a method for preparing the antibacterial wound dressing, and a use of the antibacterial wound dressing are provided. The antibacterial wound dressing is obtained by amidating carboxymethyl cellulose with a guanidine compound. The carboxymethyl cellulose has a substitution degree of 0.1-0.6, and the guanidine compound has a grafting degree of 0.2%-10.0%.