3. INTRODUCTION
Historically, a dressing was usually a piece of material,
sometimes cloth, but the use of dung, leaves and honey have
also been described.
Previously, the accepted wisdom was that to prevent infection
of a wound, the wound should be kept as dry as possible.
Definition:- These are referred to a wide range of
materials used for dressing of wounds or injured or diseased
tissues (Surgical dressings); some are used to hold wound edges
closely during healing (sutures and ligatures). All these
materials are collectively called surgical aids.
Example: Surgical dressing, suture & ligature, surgical cotton
and surgical gauges
4. SURGICAL DRESSINGS
Definition:-Surgical dressing is a term applied to a wide
range of materials used for the dressing of wounds or
injured or diseased tissues.
Dressings may serve to :
1. Provide an environment for moist wound healing.
2. Promote haemostasis. (i.e. stops bleeding)
3. Reduce heat loss.
4. Promote healing.
5. Improve appearance of the wound site.
5. FEATURES OF AN IDEAL DRESSING
It must be capable of absorbing excess
secretions.
It must be non-inflammable.
It must be sterilizable by conventional means.
It must be impervious to micro-organisms.
It must be impervious to fluid from outside.
Inexpensive
7. PRIMARY WOUND DRESSINGS
Plain gauze:-This is a soft cotton
cloth of plain weave, open texture and
filmsy appearance. Use: plain gauze can
be applied directly to the wounds.
Impregnated gauze:-Cotton,
rayon or cellulose acetate gauze has
been impregnate with a variety of
substances such as petroleum or
paraffin, vaseline or petrolatum
emulsion. They are used to reduce its
adherence to wounds.
8. PRIMARY / SECONDARY WOUND
DRESSINGS
Composite dressings:- consists of
lightly absorbent rayon or cotton pads
sandwiched between porous polyethylene films.
This makes them useful in burn treatment.
Hydrogels are very useful in hairy areas
Calcium alginate dressings:-
Alginic acid is naturally occurring
polysaccharide derived from a type of seaweed.
They are used on moderate to highly exuding
wounds.
9. SECONDARY WOUND DRESSINGS
• ABSORBENTS
• Surgical cotton:- The raw cotton fibre,
mechanically cleaned of dirt and processed to
remove the natural waxes on the cotton fibres.
USE:- it can be used for cleaning, swabbing
Surgical gauzes:- The function of surgical
gauze is to provide an absorbent material of
sufficient tensile strength for surgical dressings
USE:- Various forms of pads, compressed, absorbent
cotton, tissue paper and other materials.
10. BANDAGES
• Common Gauze Roller Bandages:-Each bandage is in one
continuos piece, tightly rolled and substantially free from loose
threads. It may be of various widths and lengths for various purposes.
• Muslin Bandage Rolls:-This bleached cotton cloth of plain but
closely weaved. They are very strong and are used wherever gauze
bandages do not provide sufficient strength or support
• Elastic bandages:-
• Cotton and Rubber Elastic Bandages This bandages has a
cotton weft but the warp contains rubber threads.
• Crepe bandage is elastic but contains no rubber
11. • Cotton Conforming Bandage:- The sides of the fabric are
folded into the centre to avoid rough edges and produce a thicker, more
absorbent layer. Uses: Cotton conforming bandages are used to protect
and secure dressings.
common Gauze Roller Bandages Muslin Bandage Rolls Elastic bandages
Cotton and Rubber Elastic Bandages Crepe bandage Cotton Conforming Bandage
12. ADHESIVE TAPES
• When some adhesives are spread over a backing
membrane it is called an adhesive tape. This tapes
are used
• (i) to secure dressings and appliances firmly in
place.
• (ii) for support and compression e.g. for fractured
ribs and clavicles, sprains and leg ulcers etc.
• Depending on the adhesive the tapes may be
subdivided into two categories:
(i) rubber based adhesive:- These are cloth-backed
rubber adhesives. these are used principally where
heavy support and a high level of adhesion are
required.
• (ii) acrylate adhesive:-In this case non-woven or
fabric backing are spread with acrylate adhesives.
13. REFERENCE
• Cooper & Gunn’s Dispensing for Pharmaceutical Students, 12th edn. pp.270.
• http://www.sgrrits.org/pdf/e-content/pharma/Surgical-Aids.pdf as on
23/04/2018
• https://www.coopersurgical.com/Portals/_default/Skins/Cooper/catalogs/Cooper
Surgical_Surgical_Products_Catalog.pdf as on 23/04/2018
• https://kupdf.com/queue/lachman-and-lieberman-the-theory-and-practice-of-
industrial-pharmacy-pdf_59114516dc0d603d7a959ec9_pdf?queue_id=-
1&x=1524495288&z=MTUwLjEyOS42NS4xNw as on 23/04/2018
• http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/ak_shrivastava-1760002-surgical-
products/ as on 23/04/2018
• http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/500_599/0526.html as on 23/04/2018
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dressing_(medical) as on 23/04/2018
