Wound dressing based on nonwoven viscose fabrics

Nonwoven viscose fabric was treated with chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) using pad-dry method, using different concentrations of chitosan and PVA. Increasing the amount of PVA leads to increasing of air permeability. Water permeability increased by increasing the amount of PVA to 2 ml (10% solution) then decreased by any increase of the quantity of PVA solution. Roughness increased with increasing the amount of 10% PVA solution. It is shown that roughness, water and air permeability increased with increasing the chitosan concentration. Antibacterial properties was increased with increasing PVA/or chitosan concentration. The chitosan/PVA treated nonwoven viscose fabric was immersed in a solution of Ag nanoparticles. The chitosan/PVA/Ag nanoparticles treated nonwoven fabrics were used as wound dressings on French white Bouscat rabbits, with age ranged from 1 to 2 years. A complete healing was achieved using wound dressing consists of nonwoven viscose fabric treated with chitosan/PVA/Ag nanoparticles after 21 days. The histopathological examination confirmed the complete re-epithelialization and averagely thick epidermis formation. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.