Open AccessHealing of porcine donor sites covered with silver‐coated dressings
Author(s) -
Olson Merle E.,
Wright J. Barry,
Lam Kan,
Burrell Robert E.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
european journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1741-9271
pISSN - 1102-4151
DOI - 10.1080/110241500750008817
Subject(s) - medicine , surgery , bandage , vaseline , dermatome , wound healing , erythema , occlusive dressing , silver sulfadiazine , wound dressing , alternative medicine , pathology , materials science , composite material
Objective: To compare rates of healing of donor sites in pigs between those dressed with silver‐coated dressings and those dressed with petrolatum‐impregnated absorbent gauze. Design: Open study with each animal acting as its own control. Setting: University research facility, Canada. Animals: 6 young specific‐pathogen‐free domestic pigs. Interventions: A total of 72 wounds about 1 cm × 2 cm × 0.4 mm were made in rows of eight on each pig with a dermatome. They were divided into three groups of 24, and dressed with petrolatum gauze, or silver‐coated dressings moistened with sterile water either once only or daily for 10 days. All dressings were secured in place with an elastic bandage. Main outcome measures: Erythema, infection, epidermal migration, and healing. Results: Wounds dressed with moistened silver‐coated dressings re‐epithelialised significantly more quickly. This resulted in complete re‐epithelialisation within 70% of the time taken by those wounds dressed with petrolatum gauze. Conclusion: Silver‐coated dressings provide a moist environment for the healing wound combined with an effective antimicrobial agent, and this significantly accelerates healing compared with wounds dressed with traditional petrolatum gauze dressings. Copyright © 2000 Taylor and Francis Ltd.