| abstract |
A pharmaceutical preparation comprises a stable suspension of a water insoluble alginate for external application to a patient. A colloidal suspension of calcium alginate is conveniently stabilized by use of xantham gum, and/or gellam gum, and/or locust bean gum which act as suspending and gelling agents. The preparation may have a variety of physical forms, ranging from a thin runny gel capable of direct application to the body surface, through a thick gel, to a self-supporting slab, pad or wafer of desired size, shape and thickness which may be held in place with a surgical dressing. The preparation may also be presented in the form of a surgical dressing which carries, e.g. is impregnated with or contains in slab or wafer form, a preparation of the invention. The alginate is haemostatic and also has healing and regranulation properties. The preparation can thus be used in treatment of bleeding wounds and injuries and also non-bleeding wounds such as burns, ulcers and many other conditions. |