Use of a semi-occlusive flexible flat wound dressing for treating wounds in animals

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of a semi-occlusive flexible flat wound dressing having a wound contacting layer consisting of an elastomer or a thermoplastic elastomer component in which hydrophilic polymers are embedded, for treating contaminated wounds in animals, in particular in the region of the body limbs.

Claims

1. A method for the treatment of a wound on a body limb of an animal, the method comprising: providing a semi-occlusive in its entirety, flexible, flat wound dressing, said wound dressing being a composite consisting of (i) a self-adhesive wound contact layer formed by mixing hydrophilic polymers with precursors that polymerize into an elastomeric or thermoplastically elastomeric matrix in which the hydrophilic polymers are embedded, and (ii) a flat carrier arranged on one side of the wound contact layer; and fixing the wound dressing on the body limb of the animal with the wound contact layer in contact with the wound.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the animal is a cow and the wound being treated is Mortellaro's disease.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the animal is a horse and the wound being treated is scurf.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wound contact layer comprises a polyurethane, a silicone or a hydrocolloidal matrix.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the embedded, hydrophilic polymers are hydrophilic, liquid-binding particles.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the hydrophilic, liquid-binding particles are selected from the group consisting of pectin, gelatin, carboxymethylcellulose and superabsorbers.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wound dressing comprises a breathable plastic film as the flat carrier.

Description

(1) The invention is explained in detail in the following using an example for a suitable wound dressing and a FIGURE that shows in a rough schematic manner a hoof with placed wound dressing, and using test results.

EXAMPLE FOR A SUITABLE WOULD DRESSING

(2) A suitable wound dressing is built up from an approximately 40 m thick, highly flexible polyurethane film that is permeable to water vapor and oxygen and is germ-tight (Applica, Smith & Nephew) as carrier, that is coated with a self-adhering 300 m thick, highly flexible adhesive layer of polyurethane as wound contact layer.

(3) The adhesive layer was produced in that 100 wt % polyol (Levagel VP KA 8732; OH number 35) is homogenized with 12 wt % superabsorber (Favor T 5233), 0.1 wt % catalyst (Coscat 83) and 0.8 wt % vitamin E (Irganox E 201) in a 1-1 apparatus 2 h at room temperature. Then, 6.6 wt % cross-linking agent (Desmodur E 305, NCO content 12.2%) was added to 100 wt % of this mixture and this mixture intensively mixed with a glass rod for 1 minute.

(4) This mixture is then poured onto a commercially available, siliconized separating paper, covered with the polyurethane foil serving as carrier and distributed flat with the aid of a doctor blade so that the composite has a thickness of approximately 300 m and is then hardened in a drying oven for 18 minutes at 80 C. A transparent wound dressing is produced.

(5) Strips with a width of, e.g., 5 cm wide are cut out from the flat structure produced. The width can naturally vary. A strip with the width of 5 cm is well-suited, for example, for covering the usual size of lesions occurring in the area of the transition from the coronet edge to the bulb, of the hock bend and of the intermediate hoof gap.

(6) The length of the strip should be selected to be approximately 16 cm so that the area of the transition from the coronet edge to the bulb, of the hock bend and of the intermediate hoof gap can be covered with the strip. If the lesion is only in the area of the transition from the coronet edge to the bulb or of the hock bend a round or angular shape with 5 by 5 cm is also sufficient. The separating paper is drawn off from the wound contact layer and the wound dressing placed without tension onto the wound region. An oblong strip of 516 cm is placed into the intermediate hoof gap in such a manner that material for covering projects in the area of the hock bend or in the area of the coronet edge and makes contact with the skin surface or wound surface in the intermediate hoof gap. The supernatant should be capable of covering seasons in the region of the hock bend or in the region of the coronet edge. The lesion only in the region of the hock bend or only in the region of the transition from the coronet edge to the bulb can be covered with a wound dressing with a size of 55 cm. In any case it must be ensured that the wound dressing covers all lesions exposed during the cleaning. If necessary, several bandages can be placed in an overlapping manner so that at least all exposed lesions are covered by the wound dressing. The fixing takes place optionally after an additional placing of a cushion in the area of the hock bend in order to ensure the contact of the wound dressing with a wound surface with the aid of a cohesive bandage (e.g., Eurofarm adhesive bandages).

(7) The wound dressing can now be placed in fixed in such a manner that it remains about 10 days on the hoof. Held by the bandage, it remains in position and does not separate off.

(8) If the skin regions of the hoof have a lesion, then the wound dressing is put on exactly as described above. Here, the wound dressing assumes the function of a scab and protects the wound against contamination and germs. Excess wound liquid is slowly absorbed by the wound bandage. For removal, the cohesive bandage is simply cut open and removed together with the wound dressing.

(9) The single FIGURE shows in a roughly schematic manner a hoof 10 with intermediate hoof gap 11 in a top view. A non-recognizable wound is present in the region of the intermediate hoof gap 11 which wound is covered in accordance with the above example with a wound dressing 12. In order to increase the contact of the wound dressing, a cushion 13 is arranged on it and the wound dressing 12 and the cushion 13 are then fixed with an elastic bandage 14 that is wound several times around the hoof.

(10) Reference Tests:

(11) In order to document the effectiveness of the invention several sick animals were treated with different products. The results after 8 days of treatment time are collated in the following table:

(12) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE Status at Wound start of Success after 8 Product Cut Animal position treatment days of treatment Example 5 16 cm 648 HL b DD Limax healed cranially active and inactive, L Example 5 16 cm 656 HR b DD active DD healed; L on L still present Example 5 16 cm 681 HR b DD active DD, L healed on L Example 5 16 cm 760 HR b DD active healing Example 5 16 cm 760 HR c DD active Healing Example 5 16 cm 786 VR c DD active Healed Example 5 16 cm 33936 HR b DD active Healing Example 5 16 cm 82391 HR a/b/c DD active Healing Example 5 16 cm 82392 HL c DD active Healing Example 5 6 cm 773 HR c DD active Healing variant varies: thin, adhesive, foamed, elevated amount of superabsorber Gel-forming 5 5 cm 802 HR c DD active Healing hydrocolloidal bandage Example 5 6 cm 773 VL sole SWG active derma raised to variant varies: normal level = thick, adhesive, filling out of non-foamed, defect greatly elevated Hydrophobically 5 5 cm 766 HL DD active Not healing coated a/dorsal compress Hydrogel 5 5 cm 772 HL c DD fully Not healing active Compress 5 5 cm 772 HR c DD active Not healing containing superabsorber Fatty gauze 5 5 cm 786 HL c DD active active Alginate 5 5 cm 794 HR c DD active Active PU foam 5 5 cm 802 HL c DD active Active Silicone-foam 5 5 cm 33936 HL a DD active Not healing bandage PU foam 5 5 cm 33936 HR c DD active Active DD = digital dermatitis; L = Limax; SWG = sole wall ulcer; HL, HR, VL, VR = rear left, rear right, front left, front right; a = transition coronet edge to the bulb; b = ZKS (intermediate hoof gap); c = hock bend; d = hoof sole

(13) It can be recognized that the use of the wound dressing (example) described in the example led for all treated animals (648-82392) to a successful healing. The exemplary variants and a gel-forming hydrocolloidal bandage also displayed a good effect.

(14) On the other hand, the bandages used for the animals 766 to 33936 for ineffective. No healing was able to be observed here after 8 days.