Silver aids healing in the sterile skin wound: experimental studies in the laboratory rat

Summary Incisional wounds 15 mm long were induced surgically in the back skin of young adult Wistar rats. They were sutured and used as an experimental model in the therapeutic evaluation of daily applications of 0.5 mL, of silver nitrate (SN) at 0.01. 0.1 or 1·0% w/v aqueous solution, or 0·5 g silver sulphadiazine (SSD) over a 10‐day period. Control wounds received deionized water only. The silver preparations were not toxic but SN did stain the hair and superficial layers of the stratum corneum. The wounds remained microbiologically clean. Wounds exposed to SN (0·1 or 1·0%) or SSD healed more rapidly than controls. From about the fourth day of treatment, we noted a more rapid exteriorization of sutures, improved wound closure and an earlier loss of scabs and wound debris. Silver treatment appeared to reduce the inflammatory and granulation tissue phases of healing and enhance epidermal repair.

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