Effectiveness of Nanocrystalline Silver(Acticoat(R) Dressing at Wound Infected by Multidrug Resistant Bacteria

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The emergency of multi-drug resistant stains of bacteria represents a challenge in the field of plastic surgery. Especially, MRSA(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have strong pathogenicity as well as multi-drug resistance so that they have become a lot more problematic strains. This study has been planned to reduce the bacterial burden by applying Acticoat(R)(Smith & Nephew Healthcare, Hull, England)?dressing into the chronic wounds infected by multi-drug resistant strains and to facilitate their healing. METHODS: Nanocrystalline silver dressings(Acticoat(R)) were applied to chronic wound infected by MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Multi-drug resistant bacteria were smeared over a slide glass using sterilized cotton swabs and gram stains were performed directly before and after applying Acticoat(R) dressings at 1, 24, 48 and 72 hours. The gram-stained slides were observed using an optical microscope magnified 1000 times(x1000). The bacterial counts of the control group(0 hour) were compared to those of the experimental groups(1, 24, 48, and 72 hour). Paired T-test was used to assess a statistical significance. MRSA was cultured in two BAPs(blood agar plate) and two MacConkey plates with streak plate method. None were interventions on one culture plate, while on the other culture plate, Acticoat(R) was placed in a square shape and cultured for 72 hours at 37 degrees C, then plates were examined. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was cultured in the same manner as MRSA. RESULTS: There are the large amount of declination of bacterial counts with statistical significance after Acticoat(R) dressing. The bacteria grew in culture plate without specific intervention, but no bacteria grew in culture plate with applying of Acticoat(R) dressing. CONCLUSION: We believe that Acticoat(R) dressing could be used as an effective method of treating chronic wounds which are infected by multi-drug resistant organisms.