Evaluation of an antimicrobial silver foam dressing for use with V.A.C.® therapy: Morphological, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties

The V.A.C. Therapy System (KCI, San Antonio, TX) is an integrated wound management system that creates an environment that promotes wound healing. V.A.C. GranuFoam Silver dressing (S-ROCF) is a reticulated, open-celled polyurethane foam having a pore size range of 400-600 microm. The foam is coated with silver to impart antimicrobial properties throughout the dressing. The morphological and key mechanical properties including tensile strength, ultimate elongation, tear strength, and compression resistance of this dressing were compared to the original V.A.C. GranuFoam dressing (ROCF), which is also a reticulated, open-celled polyurethane foam, and were found to be comparable. Furthermore, the antimicrobial property of S-ROCF was evaluated in vitro for efficacy against pathogens commonly found in clinical settings, including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. S-ROCF was found to be effective during antimicrobial testing with a 99.99% reduction in colony forming units, and remained effective after 72 h of simulated V.A.C. Therapy. The antimicrobial and mechanical characteristics of the foam were unaffected by aging as demonstrated through an accelerated aging process. The V.A.C. GranuFoam Silver dressing is a specialized antimicrobial dressing for use with the V.A.C. Therapy System that exhibits morphological and mechanical properties comparable to the V.A.C. GranuFoam dressing and provides the added benefit of antimicrobial efficacy.