Description

Aquacel Ag is a primary wound dressing made from sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) containing 1.2% silver in an ionic form. The NaCMC is produced as a textile fibre and presented in the form of a fleece held together by a needle bonding process, and is available both as a `ribbon’ for packing cavities and as a flat non-woven pad for application to larger open wounds. The dressing absorbs and interacts with wound exudate to form a soft, hydrophilic, gas-permeable gel that traps bacteria and conforms to the contours of the wound whilst providing a micro-environment that is believed to facilitate healing. In the presence of sodium ions from wound exudate, the silver ions are released from the NaCMC to exert a sustained antimicrobial effect against a wide range of organisms including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), thus preventing colonization of the dressing and providing an antimicrobial barrier to protect the wound.