1. SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY
Assignment on Surgical & Fibres Dressing
Course Title : Pharmacognosy-I
Course Code: BPH 1027
Prepared By:
Najiur Rahman , Id no. : 2015100300011
Date of Submission :- 14 February 2016

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Surgical & Fibres Dressing
DEFINITION
Surgical dressing is a term applied to a wide range of materials used for
dressing wounds or injured or diseased tissues.
A dressing is designed to be in direct contact with the wound, which makes it
different from a bandage, which is primarily used to hold a dressing in place.
Some organizations classify them as the same thing (for example, the British
Pharmacopoeia) and the terms are used interchangeably by some people.
Dressings are frequently used in first aid and nursing.
CORE PURPOSE OF SURGICALDRESSING
A dressing can have a number of purposes, depending on the type, severity and
position of the wound, although all purposes are focused towards promoting
recovery and preventing further harm from the wound. Key purposes of are
dressing are:
1. Provide an environment for moist wound healing . Desiccation of a wound
is a major factor in retarding wound healing and increasing scarring .Dressing
that prevent desiccation provide an optimal environment for autolysis cell
migration , granulation ,and reepithelialization .

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2. Prevent maceration by permitting evaporation or absorption .In highly
exudative wounds, excessive moisture and autolytic enzimes will damage
repairing tissue and will provide a perfect culture medium for microbes.
3. Promote hemostasis.
4. Protect the wound from further damage ( mechanical damage , microbial
invasion , dehydration , maceration , chemical damage, alteration in pH)
5. Reduce heat loss.
6. Control microbial growth(by incorporation of antimicrobial drugs).
7. Promote autolysis.
8. Promote healing.
9. Provide compression, promoting hemostasis andreducing edema.
10. Provide support.
11. Reduce pain , increase patient comfort , and improve functional use of
wound site.
12. Improve the appearance ofthe wound site.
13. Reduce odor.
14. Reduce overallcosts associatedwith wound treatment.
CLASSIFICATION
Functionally , the simplest method of classification uses the terms primary and
secondary dressing . A primary dressing directly contacts the wound. It may
provide absorptive capacity and may prevent desiccation , infection , and
adhesion of the dressing to the wound . A secondary dressing is placed over a
primary dressing , providing further protection , absorptive capacity,
compression or occlusion. Al-though some dressings are solely primary or
secondary in nature, others have the characteristics of both. The following
classification is used here:

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1. Gauzes
2. Bandages
3. Lints
4. Plasters
5. Standard Dressings
Gauzes: Gauzes are usually absorbent dressings principally made from cotton
fabrics . They can be either medicated dressing or unmedicated dressing . They
are prepared by immersing the fabric in a solution of the medicament and drying
off the solvent . Gauzes used for surgical dressing may be conveniently grouped
as follos :
 Medicated Dressing
1. Boric Acid Gauzes
2. Euflavine Gauzes
3. Double Cyanide Gauzes
4. IodoformGauzes
5. Trinitrophenol Gauzes
6. Capsicum Tissue
 Unmedicated Dressing
1. AbsorbentGauzes
2. AbsorbentRibbon Gauzes
3. Absorbent Gauzes Tissue
4. Cellulose Tissue
Bandages: Bandages are continuous length of fabrics and contain no joints.
Their edges are evently cut , parallel to the warp threads . They are reasonably
free from loose threads . Bandages may be grouped into four categories
according to the type of fabrics they are made from as follows :
 Plain Cotton Cloth Bandages
1. Open-wove Bandages
2. Bleached Calico Bandages
3. Muslin Bandages
4. Unbleached Calico Bandages
 Treated CottonCloth Bandages
1. Battiste
2. Jaconet
3. Oiled Cambric
4. Zinc Paste Bandages

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 Woolcontaining Bandages
1. Flannel Bandages
2. Domette Bandages
3. Crepe Bandages
 Slik Bandages
1. Oiled Slik Bandages
Lints: Lints are medicated or unmedicated absorbent surgical dressing . They
are made of plain wove absorbent cotton fabrics . They contain not less than 39
threads per inch in the warp and 24 in the weft . 230 to 250 sq. inch superficial
area of the lints should wei9gh about 28.35 g.
The follwing medicated lints are available :
Boric Acid Lints : This contains 3 to 7 percent of boric acid and is tinted with a
suitsble dye.
Euflavine Lints : This type of lint contains about 0.1 percent of euflavine .
Plasters: Plasters are a kind of adhesive made from Bleached cotton fabrics .
An adhesive compound is spread on one side of the bamdage to make it stick to
skin . Plasters may be either medicated or unmedicated . Some common plasters
include the following :
1. RubberAdhesive Plasters
2. Zinc Oxide Plasters
3. Elastic Adhesive Plasters
4. Plasters of Paris Bandage
Protective Plasters
 Unmedicated Plaster
 Medicated Plaster
Standard Dressings: This group of surgical dressiongs includes some
standardised compound dressing described in the British Pharmaceutical Codex
(BPC) and other pffical publications .
The Standard Dressing of B.P.C. are numbered 1 to 15 .
However , for general purposes all these surgical dressings are divided into six
main categories according to their uses . These categories are further subdivided
into sections , which include materials having a similar type of construction as
follows :

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Absorbents –
 Fabric Absorbents
 Fibrus Absorbents
 Combined Fabric and Fibrus Absorbents
 Medicated Absorbents
Wound Dressing
 Wound Dressing Pads
 Non-adherent Wound-contactDressings
 Standard Dressings
 Other Wound Dressings
Bandages
 Reteention Bandages
 Non-adhesive Supportand CompressionBandages
 Adhesive Supportand CompressionBandages
 Medicated Bandages
Surgical Adhesive Tapes
 Woven Tapes
 Non- woven Tapes
 Plastic Flim Tapes
 Non-stich Adhesive Sutures
SELECTION OF A DRESSING
Dressing selection should be made on the basis of the degree of exudation
,presence or likelihood of infection , presence of necrotic tissue ,and the
automatic site. The correct selection of a wound dressing depends not only on
the types of wounds but also on the stage of repair. The use of a wound dressing
cannot be considered in aso-lation , but rather in the contest of an integrated
wound-care program .
USAGE OF SURGICAL DRESSING
Applying a dressing is a first aid skill, although many people undertake the
practice with no training - especially on minor wounds. Modern dressings will
almost all come in a prepackaged sterile wrapping, date coded to ensure
sterility. This is because it will come in to direct contact with the wound, and
sterility is required to fulfil the 'protection from infection' aim of a dressing.
Historically, and still the case in many less developed areas and in an
emergency, dressings are often improvised as needed. This can consist of

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anything, including clothing or spare material, which will fulfil some of the
basic tenets of a dressing - usually stemming bleeding and absorbing exudate.
Applying and changing dressings is one common task in nursing
FIBRES
The fibres are made up of long chain molecules which may be a carbohydrate or
or a protein molecules. Some fibres e.g. Nylon and Terylene , are synthetic
fibres prepared from long chain molecules of polymers. Regenerated
carbohydrate materials and chemically modified fibres are Viscose, Acetate
Rayons Alginate yarn and Oxidized cellulose . Asbestos and glass are obtained
from mineral sources.
The various groups of fibres used for surgical dressings may be conveniently
summarized in the following way :

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COTTON
Synonyms : Raw Cotton Wool, Absorbent Cotton
Biological source: Absorbent cottonconsists of epidermal hair of the seeds of
Gossypium herbaceum Linn
Gossypium hirsutum Linn
Gossypium arboreum Linn
Gossypium barbadence Linn
Geographical source: Egypt , India , South America , USA , South Africa ,
Pakistan
Prepration of Raw Cotton : Bolls of cotton are collected from the ripe and
dehisced fruits of Gossypium . Raw cotton thus prepared contains impurities ,
chiefly colouring matter and about 0.6 percent of wax and oil which form a thin
flim around the fibres and render then non-absorbent.
Prepration of Absorbent Cotton Wool : Absorbent cotton wool is prepared from
the various cotton wastes obtained during the processing of raw cotton for
making yarns . the wastes are loosened and then boiled for 10 to 15 hours under
a pressure of about 30 lbs in a dilute solution of caustic sodaand sodaash .
Macroscopical and Microscopical Characters : Absorbent cotton wool is more
white than the raw cotton . The cotton trichhomes are tablar , flattened and
twisted with large lumen .
Constituents : Raw cotton contains about 90 percent of cellulose and small
amounts of wax , fat , remains of protoplasm and ash. Absorbent cotton is
almost pure cellulose .
Uses : Cotton is used as the chief material for many surical dressings . It is also
used as a filtering medium and an insulating material .
JUTE
Synonym : Gunny
Biological Source :
 Corchorus olitorius Linn
 Corchorus capsularis Linn

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Geographical source :
 Extensively cultivated as a cash crop in Bangladesh .
 Also cultivated in small quantites in some parts of India .
Preparation of Jute fibre : Jute plants are normally stright and unbranched .
They are cut from the base when the plants are in flowers , tied into small
bundles , stacked and soaked in stagnant water for about three weeks for retting.
Constituent : Jute fibres are composed of 53 percent cellulose and 22 percent
hemeicellulose and contain 11 percent of lignin , 1 percent of fat and waxes and
1 percent of ash .
Uses : In Pharmacy Jute is used for the manufacture of medicated tows .
FLAX
Biological Source :
 Linum usitatissum Linn
Geographical source :
 Russia
 Northern Ireland
 U.S.A.
 Argentina
Preparation of Flax : The plants are uprooted by hand just about the time
ripening of the fruits , tied in shaves and left to dry in field .
FIGURE : Natural Fibres
Constituents : Flax is made up of pecto-cellulose .

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Uses : Flax is used asa filtering medium for some preparations . It is used in the
manufacture of this lints .
CELLULOSE WADDING
Synonyms : Cellulose Wadding , Chemical Wood Pulp
Biological Source : Cellulose wadding is prepared from bleached sulphite
wood pulp obtained from the various Conifers belonging to the family Pinaceae.
Geographical source :
 U.S.A.
 Canada
 Germany
Constituents : Cellulose wadding consists almost entirely of pure cellulose .
Uses : It is preferred to absorbent cotton wool because of its superior absorbent
property and the readiness with which it disintegrates .
RAYON
Synonyms : Regenerated cellulose , Artificial Silk
Biological Source :
 Acetate rayon
 Viscose rayon
 Cuprammonium rayon
 Nitrate rayon
FIGURE : Regenerated fibres A) Cellulose wadding B) Viscose rayon

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Constituents : Like Cellulose wadding , Viscose rayon is also composed almost
entirely cellulose . It also contains about 0.3 percent of sulpher and yields about
0.2 to 0.3 percent of ash .
Uses : Lint , gauze , nets and other surgical dressing are made from Viscose
rayon .
ALGINATE FIBRES
Synonyms : Calcium Alginate fibres
Uses : Calcium alginate fibres are used to prepare gauzes for absorbable
haemostatic dressing bacteriological swabs .
WOOL
Synonyms : Animal wool , Sheep’s Wool
Biological Source :
 Ovis aries Linn
Geographical Source :
 U.S.A.
 Australia
 Argentina
 Russia
 The British Isles
Constituents : Wool fibres are composed almost entirely of the protein keratin ,
which contains C , H , O , N and S .
Uses : Wool is used in the manufacture of dressings like flannel domette and
crepe bandages .
SILK
Biological Source : Silk consists of fibre prepared from the filaments of the
cocoonssupnby the larvae of Bomyx mori Linn .
Geographical Source :
 Japan

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 China
 France
 Italy
Constituents : The mass of silk fibre is made up of the protein fibroin , coated
externally by another sericin or silk gum which cemets the fibres together .
Uses : The Pharmaceutical uses of silk include the manufacture of ligatures ,
oiled silk and some sieves .
NYLON
Source : Nylon is a synthetic fibre , chemically synthesized by polymerization
from long chain adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine . the polycondensation
product in molten condition is pumped through a spinning machine and the
resultant filaments are cold-drawn to increase their length .
Uses : In surgical dressing Nylon is used for making filter cloth , sieves and
syringes .
REFERNCES:
Textbookof PHARMACOGNOSY part – 1
Writer : ABDUL GHANI
PHARMACOGNOSY
Writer : TYLER & BRADY
PHARMACOGNOSY
Writer : TREAST & EVANS
PHARMACOGNOSY
Writer : CLAUSE & TYLER
Search Engine : www.google.com
www.wikipedia.com