PVA-Borate hydrogels have potential as delivery vehicles Jorthe treatment of .. lacerated and ulcerated lesions. Due to their novel dilatantflow properties, they can flow into cavernous wounds, create intimate contact with the wound bed and be removed intact once treatment has ceased. Furthermore, due to their high water content, they have the potential to induce autolytic debridement of dead tissue present in ulcerated lesions. Lidocaine HCI was successfully formulated into PVA-borate hydrogels with the aid of the polyol, D-mannitol. This polyol prevented demixing caused by the addition of lidocaine HCI to PVA-borate hydrogels, therefore producing a clear and stable lidocaine HCI formulation for potential topical anaesthesia of lacerated lesions.. Furthermore, lidocaine was found to possess significant stability in thesePVA-borate fonTIulations, to the extent that no lidocaine HCI degradation was found after 6 . months at room temperature. For the treatment of infected ulcerated lesions, mupirocin Caand terpinen-4-01 was fonTIulated into PVA-borate hydrogels. Mupirocin Ca was found to have greater· solubility in PVA-borate hydrogels when compared to deionised water. This increased solubility ofmupirocin Ca in PVA-borate hydrogels was attributed to the fonnation of a mupirocin-borate ion complex. Terpinen-4-01 was dispersed in PVA-borate hydrogels as an emulsion. \\Then the terpinen-4-ol and mupirocin PVA-borate hydrogels were compared by the use of model wound, mupirocin formulations were found to have significantly greater antimicrobial activity. However, the stability of mupirocin in PVA-borate hydrogels was found to be poor, with almost complete degradation occurring after 6 weeks. From this study, it is evident that for the treatment of infected ulcerated lesions, mupirocin Ca loaded PYA-borate hydrogels have greater potential than terpinen-4-ol loaded gels. Furthermore, lidocaine HCI loaded PYA-borate hydrogels have been shown ill vitro to be suitable formulations for the induction of anaesthesia in lacerated lesions.