Evaluating the Rapid Antibacterial Effects of a Silver Surgical Post-Operative Dressing

A surgical post-operative dressing has been developed containing silver. The device is designed to be a waterproof, bacterial barrier dressing that accommodates changes in the wound/incision contours during patient movement and post-operative edema. The product currently demonstrates excellent antibacterial properties against a wide range of common wound isolates, including MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa over a 7 day challenge period. The potential of the dressing to exhibit antibacterial activity within a short time frame was investigated as infection of surgical wounds can prevent the wound from healing; therefore, the ability of the dressing to be able to have a significant antibacterial effect immediately following application would prove beneficial.

Testing was performed in accordance with AATCC TM-100 guidelines ‘Antibacterial Finishes on Textile Materials’, which requires the device to be inoculated with a known concentration of the challenge organism and then incubated for a specified period. Following incubation, the device is processed to determine the total number of viable organisms remaining on the product. For the purpose of this test, the antibacterial activity was assessed between 1 and 6 hrs following inoculation of the product. Several silver-containing surgical dressings were evaluated for comparative purposes.

The data obtained indicates the surgical silver post-operative dressing to have excellent antibacterial activity within 2-4hrs, dependant on challenge organism, and demonstrates significant antibacterial efficacy within a short period of time.

The study has provided useful data to indicate the surgical post operative dressing containing silver is efficacious against a range of bacteria within a very short time period, which is necessary to promote wound healing, and is an important factor to consider when determining the most appropriate dressing to utilise for post-operative wounds.

Trademarked Items (if applicable): Primaseal Ag

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