Acticoat™ Absorbent Antimicrobial Dressing

A dressing utilizing advanced silver technology to help create an optimal wound environment.

The nanocrystalline coating of pure silver delivers antimicrobial barrier activity within 30 minutes - faster than other forms of silver.
NUCRYST Pharmaceutical's antimicrobial technology is able to produce silver-coated hydrophilic polyurethane foams that can release an effective concentration of silver over several days. Thus, as silver ions are consumed, additional silver is released from the dressing to provide an effective antimicrobial barrier. This patented silver-based antimicrobial technology can be applied to a wide range of medical devices including wound dressings, certain types of catheters and various implants to prevent infection. This technology was first applied to burn wound dressings because burns present a very severe risk of infection.

Kills micro-organisms
Laboratory studies show that ACTICOAT™ Absorbent Dressings kill micro-organisms faster than conventional products such as silver sulfadiazine (1 percent cream) or silver nitrate (0.5%) solution. It has also been shown in-vitro to provide protection against more than 150 pathogens. The pathogens tested in the lab include very resistant strains of bacteria such as antibiotic-resistant strains of Pseudomonas, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus and fungi. These pathogens have been known to sweep through a hospital and infect a great many patients with already weakened immune systems. Infections contracted during hospitalization caused by these so-called superbugs and other organisms cost North American taxpayers an estimated $18 billion a year in additional hospital care.

Easy to remove
When used in a moderate to highly exuding wound, the dressing forms a soft gel, which does not adhere to the delicate tissues in the wound bed. The dressing can be easily lifted out of the wound in one piece, or washed out with sterile water.

Conforms to wound contours
ACTICOAT™ Absorbent Dressings are very soft and conformable, allowing them to be molded, folded or cut to meet a wide range of wound shapes and sizes. As the fibers gel, an even more intimate contact with the wound is produced and maintained.

Less fiber shed
All fiber-based alginates release fibers when handled, however the advanced bonding technique employed in ACTICOAT™ Absorbent Dressings greatly reduces fiber release.

Moist wound environment
The production of a gel by the action of exudate on the alginate fibers creates a moist wound environment at the wound surface. This helps prevent eschar formation and promotes an optimal moist wound environment. The dressing allows wound contraction to occur, which may help reduce scarring and also allows gaseous exchange necessary for a healthy wound bed.

Highly absorbent and cost-effective
In-vitro studies have shown that ACTICOAT™ Absorbent Dressings can absorb many times their own weight in exudate. This allows the dressing to remain in the wound for up to 3 days, depending on the nature of the wound and the volume of exudate. The sustained release of silver also means fewer dressing changes, resulting in less exposure of the wound bed to the environment. This reduces the risk of infection which lowers hospital costs.