Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) has been available as a wound irrigation fluid in Europe for some time. Recently, it has been successfully introduced into wound management within a range of dressings, including non-adherent products, gauze, drains, intravenous sponges and hydrogels. In some cases, the PHMB molecule has been chemically bound to the base material, providing it with antiseptic/antimicrobial properties when in contact with wound moisture. In other products, the active component is free to be delivered into the wound and periwound tissues, serving as a carrier for a wider antimicrobial activity by donating PHMB to the wound surface.