PHMB as a topical antimicrobial in veterinary wound management
Louise O'Dwyer
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
There are currently no new antibiotics on the horizon, and this fact should cause concern for all involved in both human and veterinary medicine.The use of topical antimicrobials should be considered as the alternative to systemic antibiotics in wound infection in order to minimize their use. Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) is a relative newcomer to the veterinary market, having been used as an antiseptic/antimicrobial in a variety of industries for over 60 years.PHBM has been incorporated into a range of wound dressings and is highly effective as an antimicrobial as it destroys the outer and cytoplasmic membranes of the bacteria, destroying them. These dressings are able to rapidly reduce the bacterial load in the wound and represent the first line in the management of the bacterial burden of a wound.
Subscribe to get full access to The Veterinary Nurse
Thank you for vising The Veterinary nurse and reading our archive of expert clinical content. If you would like to read more from the leading peer-reviewed journal for veterinary nurses, you can start your subscription today for just £26.
Subscribing will enable you to:
- Stay up-to-date with current thinking and best practice in veterinary medicine
- Enhance your knowledge and understanding of all key clinical topics
- Achieve the mandatory requirement of 45 hours' documented CPD over a three-year period