Treating hard-to-heal ulcers: biocellulose with nanosilver compared with silver sulfadiazine

Controlling infection and promoting healing should be the aims of hard-to-heal diabetic ulcer treatment, along with improving a patient's general condition and their blood sugar control. Many hard-to-heal diabetic ulcers present with cavities, tracks or a combination of these. There is a new biocellulose (with a nanosilver dressing) which has the ability to contour around and conform to the irregular surface of a wound bed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate its efficacy compared with a silver sulfadiazine cream, for hard-to-heal diabetic ulcer treatment.

In this randomised control trial, patients with hard-to-heal diabetic ulcers were divided into two equal-sized groups: treatment with the biocellulose with blue nanosilver (experimental group), and treatment with silver sulfadiazine cream group (control group). Cotton gauze was used as the secondary dressing for both groups. Demographic data, wound size, wound classification, wound photography and bacterial cultures were recorded at the beginning of the study. Wounds were debrided as necessary. Dressings were changed twice daily in the control group, and every three days in the experimental group.

A total of 20 patients took part in the study (10 patients in each group). The highest mean wound healing rates were 91.4% in the experimental group and 83.9% in the control group. No wound infections or adverse effects from the dressings were detected in either group.

In this study, biocellulose with blue nanosilver adapted well to the wound bed. Wound reduction was greater in the experimental group than the control group. Biocellulose with blue nanosilver could therefore be a good choice for hard-to-heal diabetic ulcer treatment, due to its good healing rates and minimal care requirements.