Medical uses of silver

Medical uses of silver
Silver is added to some bandages for its antimicrobial effect, but evidence of its usefulness is mixed.[1]

The medical uses of silver include its use in wound dressings, creams, and as an antibiotic coating on medical devices.[2][3][4] Wound dressings containing silver sulfadiazine or silver nanomaterials may be used to treat external infections.[5][6][7] The limited evidence available shows that silver coatings on endotracheal breathing tubes may reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia.[8] There is tentative evidence that using silver-alloy indwelling catheters for short-term catheterizing will reduce the risk of catheter-acquired urinary tract infections.[9][10][11]

Silver generally has low toxicity, and minimal risk is expected when silver is used in approved medical applications.[12] Alternative medicine products such as colloidal silver are controversial.[13][14][15][16][17]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference upd was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Medici S, Peana M, Nurchi VM, Zoroddu MA (July 2019). "Medical Uses of Silver: History, Myths, and Scientific Evidence". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 62 (13): 5923–5943. doi:10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01439. hdl:11584/260876. PMID 30735392. S2CID 73442943.
  3. ^ Maillard JY, Hartemann P (November 2013). "Silver as an antimicrobial: facts and gaps in knowledge". Critical Reviews in Microbiology. 39 (4): 373–83. doi:10.3109/1040841X.2012.713323. PMID 22928774. S2CID 27527124.
  4. ^ Medici S, Peana M, Crisponi G, Nurchi VM, Lachowicz JI, Remelli M, Zoroddu MA (2016). "Silver coordination compounds: A new horizon in medicine". Coordination Chemistry Reviews. 327–328: 349–359. doi:10.1016/j.ccr.2016.05.015. hdl:11392/2350679.
  5. ^ Atiyeh BS, Costagliola M, Hayek SN, Dibo SA (March 2007). "Effect of silver on burn wound infection control and healing: review of the literature". Burns. 33 (2): 139–48. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2006.06.010. PMID 17137719. S2CID 17111045.
  6. ^ Qin Y (June 2005). "Silver-containing alginate fibres and dressings". International Wound Journal. 2 (2): 172–6. doi:10.1111/j.1742-4801.2005.00101.x. PMC 7951428. PMID 16722867. S2CID 37264763.
  7. ^ Hermans MH (December 2006). "Silver-containing dressings and the need for evidence". The American Journal of Nursing. 106 (12): 60–8, quiz 68–9. doi:10.1097/00000446-200612000-00025. PMID 17133010.
  8. ^ Bouadma L, Wolff M, Lucet JC (August 2012). "Ventilator-associated pneumonia and its prevention". Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. 25 (4): 395–404. doi:10.1097/QCO.0b013e328355a835. PMID 22744316. S2CID 41051853.
  9. ^ Lederer JW, Jarvis WR, Thomas L, Ritter J (2014). "Multicenter cohort study to assess the impact of a silver-alloy and hydrogel-coated urinary catheter on symptomatic catheter-associated urinary tract infections". Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing. 41 (5): 473–80. doi:10.1097/WON.0000000000000056. PMC 4165476. PMID 24922561.
  10. ^ Beattie M (July 26 – August 1, 2011). "Can silver alloy catheters reduce infection rates?". Nursing Times. 107 (29): 19–20, 22. PMID 21941730.
  11. ^ Schumm K, Lam TB (2008). "Types of urethral catheters for management of short-term voiding problems in hospitalized adults: a short version Cochrane review". Neurourology and Urodynamics. 27 (8): 738–46. doi:10.1002/nau.20645. PMID 18951451. S2CID 2985012.
  12. ^ Lansdown AB (2006). "Silver in Health Care: Antimicrobial Effects and Safety in Use". Biofunctional Textiles and the Skin. Current Problems in Dermatology. Vol. 33. pp. 17–34. doi:10.1159/000093928. ISBN 978-3-8055-8121-9. PMID 16766878.
  13. ^ "Hi Ho Silver". Science-Based Medicine. 2009-10-23. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  14. ^ "Over-the-Counter Drug Products Containing Colloidal Silver Ingredients or Silver Salts". GPO. August 17, 1999. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  15. ^ "The truth about colloidal silver". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  16. ^ Griffith RD, Simmons BJ, Yazdani Abyaneh MA, Bray FN, Falto-Aizpurua LA, Nouri K (June 2015). "Colloidal Silver: Dangerous and Readily Available". JAMA Dermatology. 151 (6): 667–8. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.120. PMID 25853658.
  17. ^ "Colloidal Silver: Risk Without Benefit". www.quackwatch.org. Retrieved 2019-02-25.