A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF SILVER- RELEASING DRESSINGS IN THE TREATMENT OF BURNS

Silver-releasing materials used for wound dressing have anti-inflammatory, re- epithelizing and antihaemorrhagic properties. Commonly used in topical burn man- agement, silver sulfadiazine (Ag-SD) is a useful antibacterial agent for treating burn wound. The action of silver sulphadiazine has been extensively studied. Since silver sul- phadiazine alone was found to be insufficient in preventing or retarding the growth of gram-negative bacteria in patients with burns covering more than 50% of body surface, the use of cerium nitrate in combination with the former was introduced by Monafo and colleagues in 1976. In recent years, a range of wound dressings have been marketed con- taining slow-release Ag compounds. The application of nanotechology in burn injury treatment is gaining considerable impetus in the century due to its metal nanosizing po- tential. Metallic silver, in the form of nanoparticles, has made a remarkable comeback as a potential antimicrobial agent.