Oxygen generating wound dressing

Abstract

The healing of surface wounds, including burns, is facilitated by increasing the wound oxygen tension through the application of an oxygen-generating wound dressing which renewably and non-sustainingly chemically generates oxygen. The wound dressing contains an oxygen permeable membrane and an oxygen supply solution reservoir adapted to receive an aqueous liquid capable of supplying oxygen through chemical reaction. Preferably, the aqueous liquid contains hydrogen peroxide and the reservoir contains an immobilized solid hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst such as manganese dioxide. The solid catalyst may be contained within a hydrogel, an open-celled polymeric foam, or a biosynthetic foam such as a collagen foam. The oxygen-generating wound dressing may be applied over an intermediate hydrogel occlusive wound covering such as an alginate.

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