Patent ID: 8236863

Claim:
A method of cleansing or dressing a wound, burn or ulcer on a skin surface or of irrigating a skin surface, comprising: a) preparing a saline preparation consisting essentially of a solution in water of sodium ions within the range 0.283% to 0.346% weight by volume, wherein the solution also contains potassium ions within the range 0.001% to 0.1257% weight by volume, the preparation having an osmotic activity within the range of 240 to 360 milliosmols and the source of sodium ions is sodium chloride and the source of potassium ions is potassium chloride; wherein the saline preparation is free of calcium ions, magnesium ions, phosphate ions, bicarbonate ions, glucose, sucrose, and food starch; and b) directly contacting the skin surface with the saline preparation or contacting the skin surface with a carrier substrate in which said saline preparation has been incorporated.