(CS-084) Copper-Iodine Complex Solution as an Adjunct in Wound Management: Evidence of Bioburden Reduction and Accelerated Tissue Recovery

Friday, April 10, 2026

Tyler Sextan, MD – Medical Director, TrueHyperbarRx

Introduction: Acute and chronic wounds require focused attention in the compendium of care. Wound bed preparation is the foundation of successful wound healing and requires attention to deli. Debridement and wound irrigation assists in the mitigation of necrotic tissue, dirt and removal of pathologic organisms that can stall wound healing. Copper-iodine Complex Solution (CICS), an FDA cleared medical device was used as the wound irrigation system with debridement in the management of wound bed preparation.

Methods:

1212 patients with open, chronic wounds underwent weekly CICS wound-care sessions between late September and late December 2025. The standardized protocol included:

1. Biofluorescent imaging (Mini Glo) before and after treatment to assess bioburden.

2. CICS solution soak for 10 minutes.

3. Mechanical debridement with sterile gauze only (no sharp debridement).

4. CICS moistened Mepilex dressing applied for three days between visits.

At each follow-up, wound dimensions (L×W×D), odor score (0–3), pain (VAS 0–10), and fluorescence intensity were recorded.

Results:
Of the 12 patients included in this series, there was a mixture with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), venous stasis ulcers, and post-surgical wound infection. The group comprised both male and female patients with common comorbidities including diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, and obesity, all contributing to delayed wound healing and increased bioburden risk. Wounds ranged from small partial-thickness ulcers to larger, colonized lesions exceeding 8 cm³, including cases consistent with Pseudomonas contamination. Across all patients, the mean wound volume reduction was 68 ± 25% over 3–5 weeks. Odor fully resolved by week 2–3, pain decreased by 25–50%, and fluorescence imaging confirmed progressive bioburden reduction post-soak and between visits. Tissue appearance improved steadily, with slough replaced by cleaner wound beds and development of healthy granulation and epithelial margins. No cytotoxicity, irritation, or adverse response occurred.

Discussion:
Adjunctive wound management with CICS as a dwelling antimicrobial preservative in solution and irrigant has yielded positive outcomes in a small series. Utilization CICS in pre and post debridement and as a moist dressing consistently reduced microbial burden in the wound bed, odor, and pain, The copper-iodine synergy achieved dual success, mechanical biofilm disruption and sustained antimicrobial control providing an environment conducive to epithelialization and granulation. Patients reported excellent comfort and tolerance, even those previously reactive to silver dressings. CICS represents a safe, effective, and well-tolerated adjunct in chronic wound management. Further clinical studies are warranted to evaluate patient care initiatives for optimizing positive outcomes.