there is evidence that silver dressings are no more effective than unmedicated low-adherence dressings for treating leg ulcers (1)
the VULCAN trial was a large randomized controlled trial that investigated the use of silver dressings for venous ulceration
analysis of trial data showed that the application of silver dressings beneath compression did not improve venous ulcer healing. There were no significant differences between the use of silver-donating antimicrobial dressings and non-adherent dressings without any silver or antimicrobial agent, in either the primary or secondary endpoints
findings in relation to the lack of benefit from silver antimicrobial dressings were robust, with no suggestion of benefit for particular dressing types or population subgroups
a MeReC bulletin concluded that..."routine use of silver-containing dressings under multilayer compression bandaging is not recommended for the treatment of leg ulcers. In the absence of any evidence for a clinical benefit or cost-effectiveness advantage, healthcare professionals should not use them ahead of less-expensive non-silver wound dressings.." (2)
Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.