COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SILVER FOAM DRESSING OVER POVIDONE IODONE DRESSING IN INFECTED WOUNDS

OBJECTIVE: To compare the healing of wounds with silver foam and povidone dressing materials. MATERIAL & METHOD: This was a prospective comparative clinical trial. Seventy patients with infected wounds were evaluated. Silver foam and povidone iodine dressings were applied in thirty five each patients, and the patients were followed as per post-application treatment protocol until wound healed or preparing for graft. Wound assessed every 4th day. Assessment included clinical examination, bacteriological analysis, histopathological findings. RESULTS: Total duration of treatment in silver foam dressing and povidone iodine dressing in 1-50cm(2) are 34.67 days and 40.81 days and in 51-100cm(2) are 48.22 days and 57.20 days. On assessment of reduction of surface area and slough every 4th day in both group, it was found that silver foam was significantly better that control group In 1-50cm(2) mean percentage of reduction in size on 28th day in silver foam is 76.45% as compared to povidone iodine is 57.29% (P<0.001). In 51-100cm(2) mean percentage of reduction in size on 28th day, in silver foam is 53.06% as compared to povidone iodine is 28.63% (P<0.001). Mean time taken for reduction of exudate in silver foam dressing and povidone iodine was respectively 11.6 days and 18.91 days (P<0.0001) and mean time taken to resolution of odor in silver foam dressing and povidone iodine dressing was respectively 4.80 days 6.54 days (P=0.0924). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that use of silver foam in infected wounds in which healing process is impaired due to bacterial colonization is more efficacious that povidone iodine dressing. It suggests that antibacterial activity of silver foam is very efficient and that it has excellent exudate management, both of which lead to rapid initiation, maintenance and completion of healing process.