How much silver is necessary?

Silver content or total silver released by a dressing does not necessarily lead to greater antimicrobial activity1.

AQUACEL® Ag dressing is designed to continually make available only 1 part per million of ionic silver for effective antimicrobial efficacy2-4.

  • Concentrations above 1 part per million react with wound fluid and may cause transient skin staining in in vitro testing2.

AQUACEL® Ag dressing releases ionic silver in a controlleda manner as wound exudate is absorbed into the dressing2,5.

The manufacturing process of AQUACEL® Ag dressing is designed to ensure that ionic silver is distributed evenly throughout the entire dressing.

Dressing choice should be based on overall properties of the dressing, not silver content alone1.

References [+]

  1. Parsons D, Bowler PG, Myles V, Jones S. Silver antimicrobial dressings in wound management: a comparison of antibacterial, physical, and chemical characteristics. WOUNDS. 2005;17(8):222-232
  2. Bowler P. Progression toward healing: wound infection and the role of an advanced silver-containing Hydrofiber dressing. Ostomy Wound Manage.2003;49(suppl8A):2-5
  3. Innes ME, Umraw N, Fish JS, Gomez M, Cartotto RC. The use of silver coated dressings on donor site wounds: a prospective, controlled matched pair study. Burns. 2001;27:621-627
  4. Walker M, Cochrane CA, Bowler PG, Parsons D, Bradshw P.  Silver deposition and tissue staining associated with wound dressings containing silver.  Ostomy Wound Manage. 2006;52(1)42-50
  5. Jones SA, Bowler PG, Walker M, Parsons D.Controlling wound bioburden with a novel silvercontaining Hydrofiber® dressing. Wound Repair Regen. 2004 May-Jun;12(3):288-94

Notes [+]

  1. The amount of silver released is controlled by the maximum amount of silver that can get in solution.

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AQUACEL® Ag Surgical