it has unexpectedly been discovered that the combination of particulate bioactive glass and a topical antibiotic yields a composition which is capable of dramatically reducing the amount of time necessary for wound healing to occur . applicants have found that the combination of the present invention augments the natural healing process . the effect of the combination of the present invention is most dramatically illustrated in the immune compromised patient whose ability to heal wounds is somewhat suppressed . particulate bioactive glasses in accordance with the present invention typically have the following composition by weight percentage : the preferred particle size range for the bioactive glass is small and less than 90 microns is recommended . particle sizes less than 10 microns as well as less than 2 microns can also be used . particles of such a small size range generally provide for the advantages of the present invention but do not illicit any undesirable immune response . topical antibiotics are antibiotics suitable for skin treatment . examples of such antibiotics include : chloramphenicol , chlortetracycline , clyndamycin , clioquinol , erythromycin , framycetin , gramicidin , fusidic acid , gentamicin , mafenide , mupiroicin , neomycin , polymyxin b , bacitracin , silver sulfadiazine , tetracycline and chlortetracycline . those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are other appropriate topical antibiotics such as those listed in u . s . p . d . the bioactive glass and topical antibiotic can be combined in any pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to facilitate application to the wound . for example , the composition of the present invention can be combined with an ointment , white petrolatum , mineral oil and others known to those of ordinary skill in the art . it is also within the scope of the present invention to combine the bioactive glass and topical antibiotic of the present invention with other wound and burn treatments or dressings such as collagen , fibrin , fibronectin , vitamin e , gauze , cotton , cellulosic , synthetic wound or burn dressings and other wound or burn dressings / treatments known to those of ordinary skill in the art . dressings of fiberglass and fiberglass made from fibers of bioactive glass can also be used . the present invention is also directed to a method for grafting skin including the application of particulate bioactive glass to the graft before it is placed in its intended location . the graft may also be further treated with a topical antibiotic prior to placement . the application of bioglass to grafts is intended to increase the likelihood that the graft will “ take ” and incorporate in the host bed . while not being bound to any particular theory or mechanism , it is believed that the high surface area and reactivity of particulate bioactive glass provides for a release of sodium which increases ph and increase oxygen in the wound or burn which otherwise has a lower ph . this has a bacteriostatic effect and permits the antibiotic to function by activating various growth factors implicated in tissue repair . these reactions cause a higher negative surface charge on the glass surface and the development of a high specific surface area ( e . g . from 0 . 5 m 2 / g initially to over 50 m 2 / g by 12 hours ) which attracts collagen , fibronectin and cells . moreover , the bioactive glass provides for the precipitation of calcium and phosphorous naturally present in the wound exudate and blood which cause the rapid formation of a calcium and phosphate layer that may incorporate collagen , fibrin and fibronectin to stabilize the wound quickly and effectively . in some cases , wounds or burns healed with the composition or method of the present invention heal without the necessity of scab formation . that is , new epithelial tissue is directly formed . it has been determined most preferable to mix the particulate bioactive glass and the antibiotic of the present invention just before application to the wound or burn . if the two are mixed well prior to application , e . g . one week , the ability of the composition to accelerate would healing is compromised . it is believed that such early premixing results in a reaction between the organic in the antibiotic and the bioactive glass thereby reducing the effectiveness of the particulate bioactive glass . accordingly , the present invention is also directed to the incorporation of the bioactive particulate glass and a topical antibiotic in a two part system wherein the bioactive glass and topical antibiotic are mixed and simultaneously applied . for example , a two part mixing syringe with two separate storage chambers and a mixing chamber can be used . other two part systems could also be used . for example , the particulate bioactive glass can be incorporated into a bandage and the topical antibiotic can be applied to the wound or burn which is followed by application of the bandage . other two part delivery systems are known to those of ordinary skill in the art . [ 0044 ] fig1 is a photograph of a wound in patient with vasculitis taken soon after the wound was inflicted before treatment with a composition in accordance with the present invention . this wound was treated with a mixture of particulate bioactive glass of fine particle size and a topical antibiotic including sulfadiazine . this type of wound would typically require an overall healing time of about 3 months . as depicted in fig2 - 4 , the healing process is substantially reduced by a composition in accordance with the present invention . for example , as depicted in fig2 after only 4 days , seepage of the wound is stopped and the surface of the wound appears dry . if one were to apply only a topical antibiotic to such a wound in a patient with vasculitis it would normally take about 2 weeks to stop seepage . in fig3 it is shown that the healing mechanism is well underway and that fatty tissue has covered the surface of the wound after only 11 days . fig4 shows that after only 18 days , the wound is 50 % healed . in a patient with vasculitis , it normally takes about 6 - 8 weeks to reach the 50 % healed stage in a wound of the type pictured in the figures . a diabetic suffering from delayed healing lesions was treated with a mixture of particulate bioactive glass of less than 40μ and an equal volume of neosporin ™. the mixture was applied directly to the delayed healing lesions of about ½ cm by ½ cm . these lesions normally remain non - healing for over 14 days . the mixture was applied twice a day . within 24 hours seepage ceased . wound closure and healing was complete within 5 days . within 48 hours , scar tissue was apparent around the edges of the defect .
a method for treating wounds including contacting a wound with an effective wound healing amount of bioactive glass and topical antibiotic and composition for the accelerated healing of wounds and burns including particulates of bioactive glass and at least one topical antibiotic .