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Title: ANTIMICROBIAL SILVER/SODIUM CARBOXYMETHYL COTTON DRESSINGS FOR BURN WOUNDS

Author
item Parikh, Dharnidhar
item Fink, Thomas
item Rajasekaran, Kanniah - Rajah
item Sachinvala, Navzer
item Sawhney, Amar
item Calamari Jr, Timothy
item PARIKH, ASHISH - PERMANENTE FOUNDATION

Submitted to: Textile Research Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2004
Publication Date: 2/3/2005
Citation: Parikh, D.V., Fink, T.J., Rajasekaran, K., Sachinvala, N.D., Sawhney, A.P., Calamari Jr, T.A., Parikh, A.D. 2005. Antimicrobial silver/sodium carboxymethyl cotton dressings for burn wounds. Textile Research Journal. v. 75. p. 134-138.

Interpretive Summary: More than 1 million people receive medical attention for burn injuries each year in the United States of America. Burn infections are a major source of mortality in these patients. The factors that contribute to wound complications are both the size and depth of the wound burn. Burn depth is usually categozrized into first degree (superficial, involving only the epidermis), second degree (partial thickness, involving both epidermis and dermis), third degree (full thickness, through epidermis, dermis, and into fat), and fourth degree (damage extends through muscle and bone). Antimicrobial dressings of silver/sodium carboxymethylated cotton have been developed at SRRC. The antimicrobial effects of these dressings are evaluated to be effective against both gram positive and gram negative organisms.

Technical Abstract: An antimicrobial Ag/Na carboxymethyl cotton burn dressing has been developed by partial cation exchange of sodium by silver from sodium carboxymethyl cotton gauze through treatment with silver nitrate in a 85/15 ethanol/water medium. The ethanol/water medium preserved the fibrous form of gauze/nonwovens. The antimicrobial evaluation of the dressing has been positive. Additionally, the results show taht an enhanced burn treatment is possible with the use of highly moisture retentive sodium carboxymethyl gauze instead of conventional gauze. The capacity to hold a large amount of antimicrobial solution on carboxymethyl gauze creates a possibility for a better antimicrobial treatment. The retention of a greater amount of silver nitrate solution on the dressing will require less replenishment of solution on the dressing on patients, which will reduce nursing time.