Control of experimental burn wound infections: comparative delivery of the antimicrobial agent (silver sulfadiazine) either from a cream base or from a solid synthetic dressing.

This report demonstrates prolonged effective release of silver sulfadiazine (AgSD) to experimental burns in rats from a solid dressing by mixtures of polyethylene glycol-400 and poly-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The synthetic dressing, incorporating the antimicrobial drug, may be formed either directly on the burn wound or prepared as a preformed sheet and applied to the wound after it was contaminated with bacteria. The level of silver in the blood following treatment of the burn wound with topical AgSD (Silvadene, Marion Labs) is significantly less when the drug is presented in the dressing than when the drug is applied in a cream base; the concentration of the sulfadiazine moiety in the blood is similar for the two drug preparations. Improved survival of the burned and contaminated rats and reduced nursing care were observed in the burned animals when the synthetic dressing was used to deliver the drug relative to the results when the AgSD was applied in a cream base by standard procedures.