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MANUFACTURER
Smith nephew.
INDICATIONS
Acticoat is used as an antimicrobial barrier layer for partial and full-thickness wounds such as burns, donor sites and graft recipient sites that are judged to be at risk from infection.
Acticoat consists of two layers of a silver-coated, high-density polyethylene mesh, enclosing a single layer of an apertured non-woven fabric of rayon and polyester. The three components are ultrasonically welded together to maintain the integrity of the dressing in use. Silver is applied to the polyethylene mesh by a vapour deposition process, which results in the formation of microscopic `nanocrystals' of metallic silver.
In this nanocrystalline form, metallic silver exhibits pronounced antibacterial activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria including strains resistant to many types of antibiotics. It is also effective against clinically important strains of yeasts and fungi.
DIRECTIONS
It is recommended that prior to use Acticoat be moistened with sterile water, not saline. This will help to ensure that the dressing provides a moist wound-healing environment whilst enabling the silver to exert its antimicrobial effect.
If necessary, the dressing may be trimmed to the appropriate size and shape of the wound prior to application taking care that the darker blue surface is placed in direct contact with the skin.
Acticoat should be covered with a secondary dressing the choice of which is determined by the degree of exudate produced by the wound and held in place with surgical tape or a bandage as appropriate.
Frequency of Change It is recommended that the dressing be left in place for a maximum of three days, although on very heavily exuding wounds, it may be necessary to replace it more frequently.
WARNINGS
Acticoat should not be used with oil-based products or other topical antimicrobials.
If applied to very lightly exuding wounds there is a possibility that the dressing may dry out and adhere to the wound surface. This is more likely to happen if the secondary dressing is very absorbent or highly permeable to water vapour.
If adherence becomes a problem the dressing should be soaked off to avoid causing pain or trauma to the underlying tissue.
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