Silverlon®
Author
A. B. Flick, M.D.
Fellow American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery
Fellow American Academy of Wound Management
Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to provide the scientific basis for the
marketability and commercialization of Argentum's new class of wound dressings
that utilize the element of silver in wound dressing. Orthopaedic Surgeon and
Wound Care Specialist A. B. Flick developed this Silver technology over a
period of fifteen years. The element silver was applied to a wide variety of
clinical wounds through a trademarked, patented, and FDA approved silver-coated
nylon fabric called Silverlon®.
At the core of Argentum's products is the healing aspect of the silver:
antisepsis without reported clinical bacterial resistance. More specifically,
Argentum's silver dressings have antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, analgesic, and
regenerative properties. The analgesic (pain relieving) aspect of Silverlon®
dressings is a direct result of the high conductivity and low resistance of
pure metallic silver.
The application of silver to wound dressings (Silverlon®) is based on a
proprietary deposition process using metallic silver and fabric substrate. The
silver plated material, fabricated in a variety of multilaminate shapes and
sizes, has demonstrated:
· Significant antimicrobial (bacterial and fungal) activity
· No reported microbial resistance (e.g. MRSA and VRE bacteria)
· No reported allergic sensitivities
· Analgesia
· Clinical enhancement of wound healing
· Fewer dressing changes required
The following is a summary of the beneficial aspects of Silverlon®:
· Bacterial Resistance
Silverlon® has demonstrated antibacterial and antifungal properties on all
species tested to date. Forty bacterial and fungal species, including the
so-called bad actors such as Methacillin Resistant Staphlococcous aureus
(MRSA), Vancomycin Resistance Enterococcus fecalis (VRE), Pseudomonas
aeruginosa and Esherichia faecalis have been killed in varying degrees by
silver ions, with no indication that these bacteria developed resistance to the
silver ions. Silver has been used as an antimicrobial agent for hundreds of
years without the bacterial species having developed resistance.
· Enhanced Wound Healing
By creating an antimicrobial environment within the wound, as well as a highly
conductive surface covering the wound, healing has been found to be clinically
and scientifically enhanced. Healing time for all wound types has been
significantly reduced by as much as fifty percent.
