The Use of Aquacel® Ag for the Management of Partial-Thickness Burns in a Tertiary Center

Background: Silver-based dressings provide a broad range of antimicrobial and re-epithelialization benefits, making them beneficial for the rapid regeneration of wounds. Their benefits have been observed for the management of burns, in particular Aquacel® Ag, and they display antimicrobial, cosmetic, and cost-effective enhancements in the clinical setting. These characteristics provide great potential for Aquacel® Ag use in hospitals with high patient loads, such as Salmaniya Medical Complex in Bahrain. Objective: This study investigates the efficacy of Aquacel® Ag relative to 1% silver sulfadiazine for the management of partial-thickness burns across multiple parameters, with the goal of encouraging the establishment and implementation of guidelines that incorporate Aquacel® Ag as a key intervention in the management of partial-thickness burns. Design and methods: This retrospective cohort study gathered data on various demographic and burn-progression parameters, including patients’ age, total body surface area, days of hospital admission, and burn swab culture. The study has been carried out at the Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain. The primary outcomes assessed were infection rates and the number of days between dressing changes. Results: The mean duration of inpatient admission was significantly longer in the silver sulfadiazine-treated group, 12.43 ± 11.291 days, than in the Aquacel® Ag group at 4.97 ± 5.195 days (p<0.001). Additionally, the rates of positive burn swabs were significantly higher in the 1% silver sulfadiazine group than the Aquacel® Ag group, at 64.3% and 7.8%, respectively (p<0.0001). Conclusion: These findings encourage the establishment and implementation of guidelines incorporating Aquacel® Ag as a key intervention in the management of partial-thickness burns in inpatient and outpatient settings.