Patent ID: 8426474

Claim:
A method of washing a wound comprising washing the wound with an aqueous antimicrobial and preservative alkaline solution, said solution comprising: (a) a buffer system comprising a Tris buffer system for maintaining the solution at a pH in a range of about 8 to about 9.5; (b) a non-ionic surfactant system comprising at least one surfactant having a multiplicity of ether linkages; (c) metal ion chelating agent comprising EDTA or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts; and (d) a non-ionic preservative having anti-microbial activity comprising benzyl alcohol wherein the concentration of benzyl alcohol is about 0.5% (w/w) to about 2.0% (w/w), wherein the solution has a pH in the range of about 8 to about 9.5 and has anti-microbial properties, and the aqueous antimicrobial and preservative alkaline solution is non-irritating.