Abstract
Purpose: Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$ is a hydrofiber wound dressing integrated with ionic silver. Sorbact$^{(R)}$ is a hydrophobiccoated dressing that uses the hydrophobic interaction with microbes. In this study, we compared the wound healing effects and the antibacterial effects of Medifoam$^{(R)}$, Betadine soaked, Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$ and Sorbact$^{(R)}$ dressings against MRSA-infected wounds. Methods: Eighty rats were divided into four groups: Medifoam$^{(R)}$; Betadine soaked; Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$; and Sorbact$^{(R)}$. A $1.5{\times}1.5cm$ square full-thickness wound was made on the dorsum of each rat and infected with MRSA. Twenty-four hours thereafter, each dressing was applied to the wound and changed every other day. One, 3, 7, 11 and 15 days after the wound infection, swab culture grade, wound bed appearance score, and wound defect size change were evaluated, and 7 and 15 days after, histologic evaluation was compared between the groups. Results: The bacteria load of wounds in the Sorbact$^{(R)}$ group decreased earlier than in the other groups. The wound bed appearance score of the Sorbact$^{(R)}$ group also increased quicker, compared with the other groups. However, the size of wounds of the Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$ group decreased more rapidly, compared with other groups. From the histologic point of view, there was no significant difference between Betadine soaked, Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$ and Sorbact groups. Conclusion: The hydrophobic dressing using Sorbact$^{(R)}$ showed a more rapid reduction in the MRSA load and an elevation in the wound bed appearance score, but a slower decrease in wound size change due to detachment of wound bed tissue when the dressing was eliminated in the low exudate wound. The silver-containing hydrofiber dressing using Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$ was more effective in ultimate wound size reduction, but some debris was trapped in the wound tissue and induced foreign body reaction in the high exudate wound. Thus, ongoing selection process of treatment based on the evaluation of the infectious wound state will be very important.
