Effects of various wound dressings on microbial growth in perfused equine musculocutaneous flaps

Abstract

W ounds on the distal aspects of the limbs are common in horses and often involve extensive loss of skin, tendon damage, bone exposure, and an important degree of contamination that precludes primary closure and necessitates second-intention healing. 1 Bacterial colonization and infection remain important factors capable of delaying healing of these types of wounds. 2 Because the widespread use of systemic and topical antimicrobials has resulted in increasing numbers of antimicrobialresistant bacterial strains, such as MRSA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, and extended-spectrum b-lactamase-producing bacteria, 2,3 the judicious use of dressings containing antiseptics or other components with antibacterial activity (eg, honey) rather than antimicrobial drugs is encouraged. 4