Effects of an activated charcoal silver dressing on chronic wounds with no clinical signs of infection

Objective: This exploratory, clinical study aimed to explore the effect of an activated charcoal silver dressing (intervention) with cleansing and debridement (control) in reducing the level of bacteria in chronic wounds with no clinical signs of local infection. Method: Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group and monitored for two weeks. Samples for bacterial status and cultivation were obtained by surface smear (spatula) and percutaneous aspiration first at baseline and then after 15 days of treatment. Sixty-seven lesions were included in the intervention group and 58 in the control group. Results: At baseline, in the intervention group 71.6% of the wounds were contaminated, 7.5% had a high level of bacteria and 20.9% were infected. In the control group at baseline 65.5% of the wounds were contaminated, 6.9% colonised, 6.9% had a high level of bacteria and 20.7% were infected. There were no colonised wounds in the intervention group. After two weeks, combining totals of contaminated, colonised, a high level of bacteria and infection for each group, 85.1% (57/67) of the wounds in the intervention group had a positive bacterial level management (that is, a reduction in the number of bacteria in the wound) compared with 62.1% (36/58) in the control group (p=0.003). Conclusion: Activated charcoal dressings that contain silver control infection and reduce healing times, eliminating bacterial barriers. Declaration of interest: This study was performed with a non-restricted research grant from Johnson & Johnson, Espana, under the coordination of the Interdisciplinary Unit of Chronic Wounds of the Terrassa Health Consortium, with the support of the National Group for the Study and Advisory Services on Pressure Ulcers and Chronic Wounds (GNEAUPP).