NOVELTY - Producing a biodegradable chitosan composition having a desired biodegradation profile and comprising an agent selected by a clinician at a point of care, comprises: dissolving chitosan having a uniform degree of deacetylation of at least 51% in at least one acid in a solvent, where the acid and solvent are selected to produce a chitosan that biodegrades over at least 1-5 days in vivo; and forming the chitosan into a desired shape under conditions that reduce the water content by 10-100%.    USE - The method is useful for producing a biodegradable chitosan composition having a desired biodegradation profile, where the chitosan composition: is useful in local delivery of an agent to a site of trauma and a medical device for implantation; and is a wound management device which is useful in treating or preventing an infection in a subject at a site of trauma comprising fracture, open fracture, wound, complex wound or surgical site (all claimed), where the infection is pathogen infections (e.g. bacterial, viral and fungal). The ability of the composition to reduce the bacterial cell count was tested in goats. The result showed that the composition (comprising 5 mg/ml of amikacin (Pseudomonas aeruginosa)) exhibited 100% reduction in bacterial cell count after 42 hour treatment.    ADVANTAGE - The degradation and drug elution profiles of the composition can be tailored to the needs of particular patients at the point of care.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) the composition produced by the method;    (2) an acid-treated composition that degrades within 1-35 days in vivo, comprising essentially of chitosan having a uniform degree of deacetylation of at least 51%, where the water content is 0-90%, and an agent selected at the point of care;    (3) a wound management device comprising the acid-treated chitosan composition;    (4) a method for treating or preventing an infection in a subject at a site of trauma, comprising contacting the site with the device;    (5) a method for the local delivery of an agent to a site of trauma, comprising contacting the site with the composition comprising an agent selected at the point of care;    (6) a medical device for implantation comprising the acid-treated composition; and    (7) a kit comprising the composition.