Ozone as a Topical Treatment for Infected Dermal Wounds

Abstract

Dermal wound infections are a rising source of morbidity and mortality in patients worldwide as new and worsening complications reduce the efficacy of traditional treatments. These challenges in wound care are increasingly caused by comorbidities such as obesity and diabetes as well as surging rates of antibiotic resistance. As a result, there is an urgent need for alternative treatment options. Gaseous ozone has shown great promise as a potential new treatment for infected dermal wounds. In this brief review of current wound therapy techniques found in the literature, an in-depth discussion of the mechanisms, benefits, and results of topical ozone gas as a therapy for infected dermal wounds is presented. This includes studies of ozone applied to wounds performed in vitro, in vivo, and clinical settings, as well as the use of ozone as an adjunct therapy for increasing the efficacy of traditional treatments. The overwhelming evidence suggests that ozone exhibits significant antimicrobial properties and has been shown to promote wound healing factors, especially when applied between 5–60 ppm. As such, this promising alternative therapy warrants a significant investment of time and resources to fully utilize ozone as an effective treatment against antibiotic resistant bacteria and other rising challenges in wound treatment.

Keywords

• wound therapy
• ozone
• topical administration
• adjunct therapy
• antibiotic resistance