Antimicrobials: Healthcare's Silver Bullet Against HAIs?

Antimicrobial Applications to Medical Devices

>>Catheters

“Silver has been used to coat both urinary and intravascular catheters and there are dozens of studies concerning these devices. Recently, a silver-coated endotracheal tube has been developed," Rupp stated. He went on to relate, “However, not all antiseptic-coated catheters are the same. For example, silver sulfadiazine, along with chlorhexidine, appears to be a very effective antiseptic coating for intravascular catheters, but IV catheters coated with silver ions have not demonstrated a beneficial effect in clinical trials. Likewise, silver-alloy coated urinary catheters are effective, particularly in terms of decreasing bacteruria, whereas other urinary catheters, coated with other forms of silver, are not protective.”

Pearson and Abrutyn (1997) note that the use of intravascular catheters, while “integral to the practice of modern medicine,” can invite life-threatening complications and bloodstream infections. They observe, “Antimicrobial or antiseptic coating has been shown to reduce bacterial adherence and biofilm formation on vascular catheters. Initial studies in humans have shown that such coatings can effectively reduce colonization of catheters but have been less conclusive in showing the benefit of such coatings in reducing clinical outcomes, such as ... catheter-related bloodstream infections.”