Method for cleansing fluid discharging skin surfaces, wounds and mucous membranes and means for carrying out the method

Claim 1

A method for cleansing an infected sore which method comprises applying thereto an effective amount of spherical dry polymer particles within the size range of 20 to 500μ, said polymer particles consisting of dextran cross-linked with epichlorohydrin so as to form a three-dimensional network held together by bonds of covalent nature, one gram of which swells in the presence of water to absorb at least 0.5 grams of water but less than 15 grams of water, the swellability of the polymer particles in water being such that the polymeric particles in swollen state have a pore size which permits the penetration thereinto of low molecular weight materials discharging from the sore but which completely or substantially excludes penetration thereinto of materials discharging from the sore that have a molecular weight greater than about 50,000.

Claim 2

A method for cleansing an infected sore which method comprises applying thereto an effective amount of spherical dry polymer particles within the size range of 20 to 500μ, said polymer particles consisting of dextran cross-linked with epichlorohydrin so as to form a three-dimensional network held together by bonds of covalent nature, one gram of which swells in the presence of water to absorb at least 0.5 grams of water but less than 15 grams of water, the swellability of the polymer particles in water being such that the polymeric particles in swollen state have a pore size which permits the penetration thereinto of low molecular weight materials discharging from the sore but which completely or substantially excludes penetration thereinto of materials discharging from the sore that have a molecular weight greater than about 50,000.

Claim 3

A method for cleansing an infected sore which method comprises applying thereto an effective amount of spherical dry particles within the size range of 20 to 500μ, said particles consisting of a hydrophilic hydroxyl-group-containing polymer comprising polymeric or polymerized carbohydrates or sugar alcohols crosslinked to a three-dimensional network held together by bonds of covalent nature which polymer is water-insoluble but has a swellability in water such that the polymeric particles in swollen state permit penetration thereinto of low molecular weight materials discharging from the sore, but completely or substantially exclude penetration thereinto of fibrinogen and its high molecular weight degradation products from the sore having a molecular weight greater than 50,000.

Claim 4

A method for cleansing an infected sore which method comprises applying thereto an effective amount of spherical dry particles within the size range of 20 to 500μ, said particles consisting of a hydrophilic hydroxyl-group-containing polymer comprising polymeric or polymerized carbohydrates or sugar alcohols crosslinked to a three-dimensional network held together by bonds of covalent nature which polymer is water-insoluble but has a swellability in water such that the polymeric particles in swollen state permit penetration thereinto of low molecular weight materials discharging from the sore, but completely or substantially exclude penetration thereinto of fibrinogen and its high molecular weight degradation products from the sore having a molecular weight greater than 50,000.

Claim 11

A method for cleansing an infected sore which method comprises applying thereto an effective amount of dry polymer particles comprising a polysaccharide polymer cross-linked to a three-dimensional network held together by bonds of covalent nature which cross-linked polymer is water-insoluble but has a swellability in water such that the particles in swollen state permit penetration thereinto of low molecular weight constituents, and completely or substantially exclude penetration thereinto of fibrinogen or molecules of the size of fibrinogen of blood plasma from the sore.

Claim 12

A method for cleansing an infected sore which method comprises applying thereto an effective amount of dry polymer particles comprising a polysaccharide polymer cross-linked to a three-dimensional network held together by bonds of covalent nature which cross-linked polymer is water-insoluble but has a swellability in water such that the particles in swollen state permit penetration thereinto of low molecular weight constituents, and completely or substantially exclude penetration thereinto of fibrinogen or molecules of the size of fibrinogen of blood plasma from the sore.

Claim 16

A method for cleansing an open infected sore which comprises establishing upon the infected sore a gel chromatographic zone so that the various molecular weight components of the aqueous fluids exuding from the sore will migrate away from the surface of the sore and through said gel chromatographic zone to different degrees, depending on their molecular weights, said gel chromatographic zone being established by depositing upon the infected sore a particulate mass comprising dry particles, each of said particles: (a) consisting of a water-insoluble hydroxyl-group containing polymer, comprising polymeric or polymerized carbohydrates or sugar alcohols cross-linked to a three-dimensional network held together by bonds of covalent nature, (b) being capable of undergoing at least limited swelling to form a gel when contacted with the aqueous fluids which exude from the infected sore, one gram of said polymer particles being able to swell in the presence of water to absorb at least 0.5 grams of water but less than 15 grams of water, (c) being within the size range of 20 to 500μ, (d) being spherical in shape, (e) having a pore size in a swollen state (1) that permits penetration thereinto of low molecular weight materials discharging from the sore but (2) that completely or substantially excludes penetration thereinto of materials discharging from the sore that have a molecular weight greater than 50,000 whereby by virtue of the gel chromatographic effect obtained by absorbtion and migration of the aqueous fluids exuding from the sore eschar formation is prevented directly on the liquid discharging surface of the infected sore, bacteria are entrained in the components migrating from the discharging surface of the sore to a zone spaced therefrom where they do not affect the surface of the sore and where they later on may be readily removed together with the gel particles, and the soft swollen polymer particles may be painlessly removed when desired.

Claim 17

A method for cleansing an open infected sore which comprises establishing upon the infected sore a gel chromatographic zone so that the various molecular weight components of the aqueous fluids exuding from the sore will migrate away from the surface of the sore and through said gel chromatographic zone to different degrees, depending on their molecular weights, said gel chromatographic zone being established by depositing upon the infected sore a particulate mass comprising dry particles, each of said particles: (a) consisting of a water-insoluble hydroxyl-group containing polymer, comprising polymeric or polymerized carbohydrates or sugar alcohols cross-linked to a three-dimensional network held together by bonds of covalent nature, (b) being capable of undergoing at least limited swelling to form a gel when contacted with the aqueous fluids which exude from the infected sore, one gram of said polymer particles being able to swell in the presence of water to absorb at least 0.5 grams of water but less than 15 grams of water, (c) being within the size range of 20 to 500μ, (d) being spherical in shape, (e) having a pore size in a swollen state (1) that permits penetration thereinto of low molecular weight materials discharging from the sore but (2) that completely or substantially excludes penetration thereinto of materials discharging from the sore that have a molecular weight greater than 50,000 whereby by virtue of the gel chromatographic effect obtained by absorbtion and migration of the aqueous fluids exuding from the sore eschar formation is prevented directly on the liquid discharging surface of the infected sore, bacteria are entrained in the components migrating from the discharging surface of the sore to a zone spaced therefrom where they do not affect the surface of the sore and where they later on may be readily removed together with the gel particles, and the soft swollen polymer particles may be painlessly removed when desired.