Patent ID: 7329417

Claim:
A medical dressing comprising: a) an antimicrobial complex consisting essentially of: 1) silver ion; 2) a transitional element of Group IV of the Periodic System of Elements selected from the group consisting of zirconium, titanium and hafnium; 3) at least one cation selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium and potassium; 4) phosphate; and 5) hydrogen; b) at least one absorbing element selected from the group consisting of an absorbing foam; said absorbing element being a separate element in said dressing; c) said antimicrobial complex being mixed within said absorbing element such that the concentration of silver ion is between about 0.01 to 30 mg silver/cm 2 wound dressing; d) wherein the silver ion in said antimicrobial complex mixed within said absorbing element, is only capable of being released from said absorbing element when placed in contact with wound exudate or fluid containing monovalent cations; and e) and wherein the silver ion is released in an effective amount to exhibit antiseptic activity in a wound when placed in contact with a wound secreting exudate or fluid containing monovalent cations.