The Use of Hypochlorous Acid Lavage to Treat Infected Cavity Wounds
HOCl Introduction
Useful evidence for the safe and effective use of HOCl in both antiseptic action and the promotion of wound healing when compared with conventional procedures. A case report.
Source: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open 8(1):p e2604, January 2020. | DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000002604
Date: 2020
Abstract
Treating deep or cavity wounds can be difficult, especially when regular cleaning solutions do not work. This report describes an immunocompromised patient with a serious horseshoe-shaped perianal abscess (a deep infection). At first, the wound was washed with diluted povidone-iodine, but the patient’s fever continued, and the treatment was very painful. When the wound was instead cleaned with HOCl, the fever went down within a day, pain was minimal (2 out of 10), and the infection cleared in two weeks. The wound healed almost completely (over 90%) in five weeks and fully closed in six. In comparison, another patient treated with povidone-iodine continued to have fever, severe pain (10 out of 10), and slower healing, needing a colostomy to avoid contamination. These cases suggest that hypochlorous acid is a gentle, effective, and less painful option for cleaning and healing infected cavity wounds.