Trauma wounds are usually the result of an accident. The group comprises everything from the minor “everyday” cut, graze, scrape, scratch, cut, gash or tear to major life-threatening injuries sustained in e.g. road accidents or bomb blasts.

Trauma wounds differ fundamentally from surgical wounds performed under sterile conditions and from pressure injuries and venous leg and diabetic foot ulcers that usually all originate internally and develop in the individual’s domestic environment with relatively familiar microbes. Trauma wounds are typically contaminated by their very nature.

Because trauma wounds are caused by a usually non-sterile object, these wounds have a high risk of contamination with both dirt, foreign bodies and microbes. Depending on the situation, the microbes can be of a truly dangerous nature. Examples of this can be bomb blasts where unknown microbes from large areas of the environment are forcefully pressurised deep into the soft tissue or bites (human and animal) where the aggressor’s mouth microbiota determines the microbes introduced into the wound site. Contagious diseases can be passed on via bites and truly pathogenic infections can occur. A “truly pathogenic infection” in this context would be an infecting agent unknown to the body’s immune system and a microbe not found naturally on or in the skin. Truly pathogenic infective agents need to be removed. If there is a risk of infection with a pathogenic microbe, the wound should be cleaned with an antiseptic such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) whilst guidelines for its safe use is adhered to. An antiseptic should generally not be used for prolonged periods of time. After cleaning with hydrogen peroxide, the wound should be washed thoroughly with clean water. Amicapsil supports the immune system in fighting unwelcome microbes and Amicapsil should therefore be used on a trauma wound from it has stopped bleeding in order to prevent and/or reduce infection and to save as much soft tissue as possible and maximise tissue regeneration. (MPPT will do no harm on a bleeding wound, but it will not provide much benefit either because excessive blood prevents MPPT from working.)

Because Amicapsil reinforces the body’s attempts to recover, it allows an orderly wound healing process that progresses forward optimally. This means better tissue preservation, faster tissue regeneration, fewer complications and fewer wounds becoming chronic. To the patient, this means faster recovery, less impact of the trauma during and after recovery, e.g. more conservative amputations, as well as a higher chance of survival.

Many everyday wounds happen in our environment and do not involve truly pathogenic microbes. These wounds should be cleaned thoroughly from any dirt or foreign bodies preferably using plenty of tap water. Even if there is no visible dirt, the area should be washed thoroughly with clean water – no cleaning solutions – and Amicapsil applied as soon as the bleeding has stopped. This will prevent an infection and support a healthy healing process.

The reason for recommending not to use antiseptics in the cleaning of “everyday” wounds is that the antiseptics are toxic (act like poison) to the human cells at much lower concentrations than those used clinically. This means that whilst they may kill some microbes (good and bad indiscriminately) they will also kill some of the cells in the wound that could have survived and consequently make the wound bigger. Also, when used after the immediate cleaning following the accident, they will kill new cells that the body has generated and is generating in order to regenerate the lost tissue and close the wound. Their use is therefore counterproductive. Furthermore, depending on the antiseptic chosen, it may penetrate the human cells and remain inside acting as a toxic for up to several days. This is for example the case with chlorhexidine and PHMB. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is the least harmful of the antiseptics as the body uses it in some of its own processes and therefore has the means required to break it down (in limited amounts).

Prevent infection:
Amicapsil should be used on a trauma wound from the point bleeding has stopped till the wound is granulating and no part of the wound is showing signs of infection.

Remove infection:
Amicapsil should be used on an infected trauma wound until exudate, smell and pain has disappeared, and the wound is granulating.