GB723226A - Improvements in surgical dressings - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of preparing a dry, non-greasy surgical dressing with absorbent properties which is non-adherent to wounds consists in treating an absorbent material e.g. gauze with (a) an aqueous emulsion of oil, fat or wax with the acid of morpholine stearate, (b) a solution in an organic solvent of an oil, fat, wax, higher fatty acid, water-insoluble derivative of a higher fatty acid e.g. a metallic salt, or a film-forming substance, (c) a dispersion of a metallic salt of a higher fatty acid in an aqueous emulsion as in (a) above, (d) a dispersion of a metallic salt of a higher fatty acid in aqueous solution of casein or latex prepared with the aid of a water-soluble oil e.g. polyethylene glycol laurate or (e) an an aqueous dispersion of a film-forming substance, the concentrations used being such that the coating formed is so thin that its continuity is broken in the course of handling. Antiseptics e.g. mercury succinimide or 5-aminoacridine may be added to the emulsion, dispersion or solution and/or the impregnated gauze may be dried and antiseptics preferably made viscous by the addition of methyl cellulose applied subsequently. The coating may consist of oleates or stearates of calcium, magnesium, zinc, aluminium copper mercury or lead which are applied by passing the gauze through an aqueous solution of the metallic compound and after drying through a solution of sodium or potassium soap or by passing the gauze through a dispersion of the oleate or stearate in water and a water soluble oil e.g. polyethylene glycol laurate or in an aqueous emulsion of an oil, petroleum jelly, wax or higher fatty acid made with an emulsifying agent e.g. casein, gum acacia, emulsifying wax, triethanolamine stearate or morpholine stearate. Metallic oleates may be applied in an organic solvent. A mixture of lead oleate and latex may be applied to an elastic crepe bandage. Oils, fats and waxes alone in aqueous emulsions with morpholine stearate or in organic solvents may be used for impregnating the gauze. Sodium penicillin may be applied to gauze impregnated with oils, fats or waxes or metallic salts of higher fatty acids in organic solvents. When oil or petroleum jelly is used for impregnation, tackiness or oiliness may be removed by passing the impregnated dried gauze through methyl cellulose solution. Aqueous dispersions of film forming substances such as latex compounds or solutions of nylon in methylated spirit or polyvinyl copolymers in acetone may be used for coating the gauze. According to the second Provisional Specification aminoacridine hydrochloride, Brilliant Green, Crystal Violet or neutral proflavine may be used as antiseptics. The impreganted absorbent material may be backed by cellulose wadding or plaster. Substances used for impregnation are non-ionisable. Specifications 117,750, 158,613, [both in Class 81 (2)], 469,878, 543,761, 559,027, 563,814 and 660,289 are referred to.