Silver nanoparticles-based hydrogel: Characterization of material parameters for pressure ulcer dressing applications

In the treatment of chronic wounds, pressure ulcers become a particular challenge. The principal aims of treatment are typically to prevent infection while allowing the wound to heal. This study therefore sought to prepare the hydrogel pads based on silver nanoparticles. To be effective as a wound dressing, the gel fraction, mechanical properties, and swelling capacity of the proposed material must be suitable, and it was found that PVP/alginate/chitosan in the ratio of 10:1.2:1.8 showed the required properties. Furthermore, the silver nanoparticles- based hydrogel was also found to offer antibacterial properties and an absence of cytotoxicity when tested towards human keratinocytes (HaCaT), L929 mouse fibroblasts, and human dermal fibroblasts adult (HDFa). The proposed material was then compared with commercially available dressings (ACTICOAT (TM), Algivon (R), and Suprasorb (R) A + Ag) with findings showing the superiority of the proposed hydrogel in terms of reduced cost, non-cytotoxicity, and swelling, while the ability to reduce bacteria was shown to be equal to that of the commercial alternatives. Therefore, it can be concluded that silver nanoparticle-based hydrogel offers considerable potential to relieve pressure ulcers through its application as a wound dressing.