The use of silver-based dressings in wound care.

Chronic wounds such as leg ulcers and pressure ulcers are often slow to heal. One of the causes of delayed wound healing is the presence of micro-organisms in the wound. A strategy for the prevention and treatment of wound colonisation or infection, which is receiving renewed attention, is the use of silver-based dressings. Silver has been used as an antimicrobial agent for centuries. It is effective against a broad range of bacteria (including methicillin and vancomycin-resistant strains), yeast, fungi and viruses. A number of new silver-based dressings, some of which act by the sustained release of silver ions to the wound bed, have recently become available, but there are wide variations in the amount of data supporting the use of individual products. This article reviews the evidence base for silver-containing dressings to help practitioners select the most appropriate product for the type of wound being treated.