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Abstract
Medicated and paste-impregnated bandages have been used by healthcare professionals for many years, especially in the management of problem skin surrounding leg ulcers. This article examines the range of bandages and the indications for use as well as the role of zinc in wound healing.
Medicated and paste-impregnated bandages have been used for centuries in the treatment of skin conditions that are associated with leg ulcers, e.g. eczema and inflammation (Eagle, 1999).
Paste bandages are made with open-weave bleached cotton and are impregnated with a zinc oxide paste ranging in concentration from 6-15%. The main ingredients are zinc oxide, glycerin and water (Anderson, 1995).
Paste bandages can be used as a layer in graduated compression treatment, acting as a buffer between fragile or inflamed skin and the turns of the bandage. They provide a moist healing environment, absorb exudate and separate thick slough from the wound (Morgan, 1997).
Some patients can be sensitive to the components of paste bandages, especially preservatives or lanolin. It is advisable to patch-test prospective paste-bandage patients with a small strip to the leg for at least 48 hours before using the paste bandage (Eagle, 1999).
Paste bandages are divided into five categories - those containing: zinc; zinc and calamine; zinc, calamine and clioquinol; zinc and coal tar; and zinc and ichthammol (Table 1).
Zinc oxide is the common component. Zinc is thought to be very important in wound healing. The skin contains 20% of the body's zinc stores; therefore, loss of skin means loss of zinc (Wells, 1994). In an investigation by Halbook and Lanner (1972), oral zinc supplements were found to accelerate the healing of chronic, venous leg ulcers...