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Hydrofiber Dressing Saturated With Mafenide Acetate Extends the Duration of Antimicrobial Activity
Steven A Kahn1, Ashkan Afshari, Lyly Nguyen
1From the *University of South Alabama Medical Center, Mobile; †Department of Plastic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; ‡Department of Surgery, University of South Carolina, Columbia; and §Department of Microbiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Abstract:
Mafenide acetate is used in some burn wounds for its ability to penetrate eschar but requires frequent uncomfortable dressing changes for its application. The authors hypothesize that hydrofiber dressings will hold mafenide acetate solution for an extended period of time and maintain antimicrobial activity longer than traditional gauze, thus possibly obviating the need for frequent dressing changes. Four experimental arms included: 1) hydrofiber, stored on a dry well plate as control, 2) gauze saturated with 2.5% mafenide acetate, stored on nonsterile porcine skin, 3) hydrofiber saturated with mafenide acetate, stored on dry well plate, and 4) hydrofiber saturated with mafenide acetate, stored on nonsterile porcine skin. At 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours, a 1-cm disk was cut from the dressing sheet of each study arm, placed on agar plates seeded with Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and incubated for 24 hours, and the zone of inhibition was measured. A zone of 2 mm or greater was indicative of susceptibility. Each arm of the experiment was performed four times to demonstrate reproducibility. Plain hydrofiber (control) demonstrated no zone of inhibition at any time point, thereby possessing no antimicrobial activity alone. Gauze saturated with mafenide acetate did not reliably demonstrate antimicrobial activity beyond 0 hours. Hydrofiber saturated with mafenide acetate, whether stored on a dry well plate or nonsterile porcine skin, consistently possessed sustained antimicrobial activity as demonstrated by zones of inhibition greater than 2 mm to both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Mafenide acetate-soaked hydrofiber dressings stay moist and maintain antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa for at least 72 hours without repeated soaks.
Insights
Hydrofiber dressings soaked with mafenide acetate maintain antimicrobial activity against common burn wound bacteria for at least 72 hours. This sustained efficacy may reduce the need for frequent, uncomfortable dressing changes in burn wound care.
Area of Science:
- Wound care and infection control
- Biomaterials science
- Antimicrobial drug delivery
Background:
- Mafenide acetate is a topical antimicrobial agent effective for burn wound treatment.
- Current application of mafenide acetate requires frequent, uncomfortable dressing changes.
- Hydrofiber dressings are designed for extended wear and moisture retention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the sustained antimicrobial activity of mafenide acetate when incorporated into hydrofiber dressings.
- To compare the efficacy of hydrofiber dressings with traditional gauze for mafenide acetate delivery.
- To determine if hydrofiber dressings can extend the duration of antimicrobial activity, potentially reducing dressing change frequency.
Main Methods:
- Four experimental groups were established: hydrofiber control, gauze with mafenide acetate on porcine skin, hydrofiber with mafenide acetate on a dry plate, and hydrofiber with mafenide acetate on porcine skin.
- Antimicrobial activity was assessed by measuring the zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours.
- Experiments were replicated four times to ensure reproducibility.
Main Results:
- Plain hydrofiber showed no antimicrobial activity.
- Gauze dressings with mafenide acetate demonstrated limited antimicrobial activity beyond 0 hours.
- Hydrofiber dressings saturated with mafenide acetate consistently exhibited sustained antimicrobial activity for at least 72 hours.
- This activity was observed both on a dry plate and on porcine skin, indicating stability and efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Hydrofiber dressings effectively retain mafenide acetate solution and maintain its antimicrobial properties for extended periods.
- Mafenide acetate-loaded hydrofiber dressings provide sustained antimicrobial activity against key burn wound pathogens (S. aureus, P. aeruginosa) for up to 72 hours.
- These findings suggest that hydrofiber dressings offer a promising alternative for mafenide acetate delivery, potentially improving patient comfort and reducing nursing workload by decreasing dressing change frequency.
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