Observational Study Results Show Clinical Effectiveness With Silver-impregnated Antimicrobial Contact Layers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic placed overwhelming stress on the US health care system, including for those providing and receiving wound care. Due to the adjustments the health care system, providers, patients, and caregivers had to make to provide or receive adequate care during that time, user-friendly in-home wound care modalities quickly became a staple in the clinician’s armamentarium.

Suggested Research Study: The Effect of COVID-19 on the Pressure Injury Reporting Gap

At a recent conference, researchers presented their findings from a large (N=728 patients) prospective, multicenter, observational study across 39 medical centers in which 2 silver-impregnated antimicrobial contact layers were evaluated to determine their clinical effectiveness. The study was conducted from May 2020 to May 2021. Wound healing outcomes and reported status changes in wound infection were tracked over the 4-week treatment. Per investigating clinicians, all patients received appropriate standard wound care.

Suggested Case Study: Reconstruction of COVID-19–Related Compartment Syndrome With Massive Soft Tissue Necrosis

Results showed favorable outcomes, with improvement or full closure in 92.1% of patients, unchanged status in 3.2% of patients, and worsened in 1.7% of patients; data were missing for 3% of patients, and periwound skin improvement was noted in 65.7% of patients. By the final clinical visit, there was a reduction by 78.9% for local wound infection prevalence; clinical signs of infection reduced by 72% over the study period. As reported by the investigators, the results indicate the studied products are easy for patients or caregivers to apply and change at home.

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—Jaclyn Gaydos, Sr. Managing Editor

Data were reported in poster format at the 2022 Symposium on Advanced Wound Care Fall.

Poster Reference:

Bohbot S, Chakravarthy D, Lutzkendorf S, Dissemond J. A large real-life study on the use of a novel gentle silver antimicrobial barrier dressing, TLC-AG in the management of wounds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Poster presented at: Symposium on Advanced Wound Care Fall; October 14-16, 2022; Las Vegas, NV.