AIMS: To compare the efficacy of ionic silver-based dressings with conventional saline dressings in the management of diabetic foot ulcers.
OBJECTIVES: To study the efficacy of ionic silver based amorphous hydrogel dressing containing colloidal silver in management of diabetic foot ulcer healing and to compare the time taken for wound healing, number of days taken to reach the end point and cost-effectiveness, with that of conventional saline dressings.
METHODS: This was a case control, prospective, comparative study conducted in Department of Surgery, JSS Hospital, Mysuru. Totally 100 patients with diabetic foot ulcers were included, equally divided into -cases (received colloidal silver dressings) and controls (received saline dressings), Simple randomization was done. Study Duration- 18 Months. Data collected regarding changes in wound size, presence of granulation tissue, slough, presence or absence of discharge, was analysed - by Chi square test,
Independent T test and Paired T test.
RESULTS: There was significant percentage reduction in ulcer area, 66.76±16.8 % in colloidal silver group, compared to only 2.71±4.53% in conventional saline group. The number of days to end point was significantly lesser in colloidal silver group, compared to conventional group (23.16±8.16 days vs 48.34±18.06 days), reduction of ulcer area (from 100%) was more at day 14 (48% in silver group, 89.69% in conventional
group).
CONCLUSION: The faster rate of wound healing in lesser number of days with significantly more reduction in ulcer area over a period of time, shows that ionic silver based amorphous hydrogel wound dressings with colloidal silver is more efficient than conventional saline dressings in diabetic foot ulcers management. As the number of dressings and number of days to end point is significantly lesser, ionic silver-based dressings are a comparatively more cost-effective treatment option as per our study.
A comparative study of the efficacy of topical negative pressure moist dressings and conventional moist dressings in chronic wounds
