Treating infected diabetic wounds with superoxidized water as anti-septic agent : a preliminary experience

To evaluate the effectiveness of superoxidized water (MicrocynTM) in diabetic patients with different wounds.

Single-centre single blinded randomized controlled trial.

Department of General Surgery, Orthopaedics and General Medicine at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, from April to June 2006.

One hundred known diabetic patients were enrolled. Half were randomized to the intervention group (those whose wounds were managed with superoxidized water) and half to the control group (whose wounds were treated with normal saline) using a table of random numbers. The two groups were matched for age, gender, duration of diabetes and category of wound. All patients received appropriate surgical treatment for their wounds as required. Local wound treatment was carried out daily using superoxidized water soaked gauzes on twice daily basis in the intervention group and normal saline in the control group. The treatment was continued until wound healing. The main outcome measures were duration of hospital stay, downgrading of the wound category, wound healing time and need for interventions such as amputation.

Statistically significant differences were found in favour of the superoxidized water group with respect to duration of hospital stay, downgrading of the wound category and wound healing time.

Although the initial results of employing superoxidized water for the management of infected diabetic wounds are encouraging, further multicentre clinical trials are warranted before this antiseptic is recommended for general use. It may offer an economical alternative to other expensive antiseptics with positive impact on the prevailing infection rates, patient outcomes and patient satisfaction.