Silver / Antimicrobial Wound Dressings
Silver and antimicrobial wound dressings for bioburden management - Acticoat nanocrystalline silver from Smith & Nephew, Mepilex Ag and Exufiber Ag from Molnlycke, Maxorb Ag from Medline, Silverlon and additional silver-impregnated formats. Also available: PHMB and iodine-based antimicrobial dressings. Standard sizes from 2x2 through 16x16, in foam, gelling fiber, mesh and contact-layer constructions. Sterile, ships within 24 hours. Wholesale case pricing for hospitals, wound care centers and long-term care facilities.
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Silver and Antimicrobial Wound Dressings for Bioburden Management
Silver-impregnated dressings are the most widely used antimicrobial wound dressing class in US healthcare - covering chronic wounds with bioburden, colonized pressure injuries, infected diabetic foot ulcers, burn wounds, post-surgical wounds with infection risk and any wound where standard non-antimicrobial dressings are insufficient. The catalog stocks the full silver dressing range across multiple manufacturers and construction types, including the leading nanocrystalline silver platform (Acticoat) and silicone-foam combinations (Mepilex Ag) that integrate silver with the same atraumatic Safetac adhesive used across the Molnlycke foam line.
Silver Dressing Lines Available
- Smith & Nephew Acticoat (nanocrystalline silver) - The nanocrystalline silver platform delivering sustained ionic silver release. Acticoat (2-4 day wear), Acticoat 7 (7-day wear), Acticoat Flex 3 and Acticoat Flex 7 (low-profile flexible mesh format), Acticoat Absorbent (alginate substrate with nanocrystalline silver). Multiple sizes from 2x2 through 16x16.
- Molnlycke Mepilex Ag - Silver-impregnated silicone foam combining Safetac adhesive technology with antimicrobial silver. Available in 4x4 and 6x6 standard sizes plus larger configurations. The single dressing that delivers silver, foam absorption and atraumatic change in one product.
- Molnlycke Exufiber Ag - Gelling fiber dressing with silver for high-exudate wounds requiring both fluid absorption and antimicrobial coverage. 10cm x 12cm and other format sizes.
- Smith & Nephew Durafiber Ag - Silver-impregnated gelling fiber alternative for heavy-exudate antimicrobial coverage. Available in 2x2, 4x4 ribbon and rope configurations.
- Smith & Nephew Ag Gentle Border - Adhesive-bordered silver foam dressing with self-fixation perimeter. 3x3 and other standard sizes.
- Argentum Silverlon - Silver-coated antimicrobial dressing platform. Wound contact dressing 4x8, calcium alginate variants, IV/CVC site dressing 1x1, glove dressings 9 inch, additional specialty configurations.
- Medline Maxorb Ag - Silver calcium alginate format combining alginate exudate absorption with silver antimicrobial coverage. 2x2 and 4x4.
Silver Dressing Formats by Construction
| Construction | Representative Brands | Typical Wear Time | Use Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nanocrystalline silver mesh | Acticoat, Acticoat 7, Acticoat Flex | 2-7 days depending on variant | Sustained silver release for chronic bioburden |
| Silver foam (silicone-backed) | Mepilex Ag, Allevyn Ag Gentle Border | Up to 7 days | Combined absorption, atraumatic change, silver |
| Silver gelling fiber | Exufiber Ag, Durafiber Ag | Up to 7 days | Heavy-exudate antimicrobial coverage |
| Silver alginate | Maxorb Ag, Acticoat Absorbent | Up to 7 days | Heavy-exudate calcium alginate with silver |
| Silver-coated contact dressing | Silverlon Wound Contact | Up to 7 days | Primary contact silver layer under secondary dressings |
| Specialty silver formats | Silverlon IV/CVC, Silverlon Glove | Site-specific | IV site coverage, hand burn coverage |
Sustained-Release Silver Platforms
Nanocrystalline silver (Acticoat platform) delivers ionic silver continuously over the wear period at clinically active concentrations. The wear-time options - Acticoat 2-day, Acticoat 7-day, Acticoat Flex variants - let facilities match the dressing change cycle to the protocol and clinical staffing pattern. Acticoat Absorbent combines the nanocrystalline silver platform with an alginate absorbent base for heavy-exudate wounds where both silver and high absorption are needed in a single product. The Acticoat Flex line provides the same silver delivery in a thinner, more conformable mesh format for use over joints, irregular surfaces and large surface area wounds where rigid silver mats do not conform well.
Beyond Silver: Other Antimicrobial Formats
- PHMB (polyhexamethylene biguanide) gauze - Smith & Nephew PHMB Gauze Filler 6x6 for cavity wound packing with antimicrobial activity.
- Iodine-based antimicrobials - Iodosorb cadexomer iodine paste/ointment and Iodoflex pad for iodine-based bioburden management. Available in the hydrogel subcategory.
- Honey-based antimicrobials - MediHoney calcium alginate format combines manuka honey with alginate. Available in the alginate subcategory.
- Chlorhexidine (CHG) IV site dressings - Ethicon Bio-Patch CHG dressing for IV and central line site infection prevention.
Silver and antimicrobial dressings are typically among the highest-cost SKUs in any wound care formulary - which makes appropriate product selection, case pricing and supply continuity all the more important for hospital wound care centers, long-term care chronic wound programs and outpatient wound clinics. The Acticoat, Mepilex Ag and Exufiber Ag lines together cover the great majority of clinical antimicrobial dressing applications, with specialty Silverlon configurations available for unique anatomical sites. Order at the best Wholesale Prices with MAP Medical.
Top Silver / Antimicrobial Dressings
- Molnlycke # 287100 - Mepilex Ag Antimicrobial Dressing, 4" x 4", 70/cs
- Molnlycke # 287300 - Mepilex Ag, 6" x 6", 25/cs
- Molnlycke # 603422 - Exufiber Ag Gelling Fiber Dressing, 10cm x 12cm
- Smith & Nephew # 66800406 - Acticoat Flex 3 Barrier Dressing, 4x4
- Smith & Nephew # 66800452 - Ag Gentle Border Adhesive Dressing, 3" x 3"
- Smith & Nephew # 20341 - Acticoat with Nanocrystalline Silver
- Smith & Nephew # 20101 - Acticoat with Nanocrystalline Silver
- Smith & Nephew # 20401 - Acticoat with Nanocrystalline Silver
- Smith & Nephew # 20241 - Acticoat with Nanocrystalline Silver
- Smith & Nephew # 20301 - Acticoat with Nanocrystalline Silver
Frequently Asked Questions
What is nanocrystalline silver and how does it differ from other silver dressings?
Nanocrystalline silver is the silver delivery technology used in the Smith & Nephew Acticoat platform. Silver is deposited as nanoscale crystals on the dressing surface, releasing ionic silver continuously over the wear period at clinically active concentrations. Other silver dressing formats use different silver compounds (silver sulfate, silver carboxymethylcellulose, silver-coated polyester) with varying release profiles and concentrations. The Acticoat platform is the most extensively studied nanocrystalline silver wound dressing system in US clinical use.
How does Mepilex Ag combine silver with foam in a single dressing?
Mepilex Ag is a silicone-foam wound dressing impregnated with silver. The construction delivers three functions in one product: silver antimicrobial release into the wound bed, foam absorption of moderate-to-heavy exudate, and Safetac silicone adhesive technology for atraumatic dressing changes. This combination eliminates the need for a separate primary silver dressing plus a secondary absorbent foam in many wound care scenarios.
Are silver dressings available in alginate and gelling fiber formats?
Yes. Silver alginate formats include Medline Maxorb Ag and Smith & Nephew Acticoat Absorbent. Silver gelling fiber formats include Molnlycke Exufiber Ag and Smith & Nephew Durafiber Ag. These formats combine the heavy-exudate absorption of alginate or gelling fiber technology with silver antimicrobial release in a single dressing - appropriate for wounds where both fluid management and bioburden coverage are clinical priorities.
Can hospitals order silver antimicrobial dressings in bulk?
Yes. Silver dressings are stocked in case quantities for hospitals, wound care centers, surgery centers, long-term care facilities and licensed distributors. The most commonly automated standing order SKUs include Acticoat (multiple sizes), Mepilex Ag 4x4 (#287100) and 6x6 (#287300), and Exufiber Ag (#603422). Contact our procurement team for tiered case pricing and standing order setup.
What silver dressings should be included in a facility formulary?
A comprehensive silver dressing formulary typically includes the Acticoat platform in 2-3 size variants for sustained silver release on chronic bioburden, Mepilex Ag in standard 4x4 and 6x6 for combined foam absorption plus silver, Exufiber Ag or Maxorb Ag for heavy-exudate wounds needing alginate-class absorption with silver, and at least one specialty configuration (Silverlon IV/CVC, Acticoat Flex) for anatomical sites where standard formats do not conform. MAP Medical builds consolidated silver dressing formularies matched to facility wound case mix - contact our team.