RESEARCH INTO THE ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF FUNCTIONAL COMPRESSION TEXTILES

Abstract

Currently, the war in Ukraine is causing an increasing relevance of the problem of treating patients with mine-blast injuries resulting from mortar shelling, rocket artillery fire, tripwire mine explosions, etc. At the stage of primary amputation in military mobile hospitals and hospitals located near the zone of military conflict, the use of functional compression sleeves that provide uniform pressure from the distal to the proximal area of the stump is particularly effective. The use of antimicrobial treatment of such sleeves can prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the wound surface of the amputated limb.

The article discusses the issue of ensuring the antimicrobial activity of functional compression knitted materials created for rehabilitation purposes. The combination of compression and antimicrobial effects will result in functional compression sleeves that can not only moderately fix the postoperative wound, prevent fluid stagnation in the stump and the formation of edema, but also reduce the risk of developing infectious complications in the wound surface area.

Compression properties are ensured by introducing an elastomeric thread into the structure of the knitted material. To impart antimicrobial properties, two different methods of surface modification of the knitted material were used: a phenyl-phenolic intensifier in the dye bath; a disinfectant for hygienic and surgical hand treatment. The effect of washing on the preservation of functional properties was analysed. The effect of washing on the antimicrobial activity of modified compression knitted fabric was investigated. The most effective method of antimicrobial treatment was determined.