Army to evaluate OxyBand wound dressings

SAN FRANCISCO, May 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army announced plans to evaluate OxyBand Technologies Inc.'s patented battlefield wound dressing technology for potential deployment.

The Army contract with California-based OxyBand Technologies will go to fund an evaluation of the company's accelerated healing wound dressings. OxyBand Technologies says their proprietary wound dressing, which has received 510(k) clearance for prescription and over-the-counter marketing, delivers pure oxygen gas to the injury that officials say accelerates faster healing and reduces inflammation and pain particularly in burn situations.

OxyBand Technologies' wound dressing will be evaluated by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command for potential applications in combat casualty situations in conflict zones.

"As part of our overall program to improve the care given to wounded military service members, we are looking forward to continuing to work with OxyBand in order to determine the effect of their innovative dressing on wound healing in burn patients," David Baer, Army Institute of Surgical Research, Office of Research director, said in a statement.

"We see great potential in this approach for delivering oxygen directly to wounds and are hopeful that it will have broad applicability in acute wound care."