Two companies, AcryMed and I-Flow, have collaborated on a surgical catheter for pain relief. What’s unique about this device is the silver nanoparticle coating, which the FDA has just approved as an inhibitor of infection-causing biofilm:
AcryMed Inc. today announced clearance from the Food And Drug Administration (FDA) for the first use of SilvaGard, the company’s breakthrough silver nanotechnology that can render existing medical devices impervious to infection-causing bacteria. Unlike any other infection control technology available today, SilvaGard can be used to treat virtually any medical device and its use does not alter the device’s original properties. Due to these and other unique attributes, SilvaGard is expected to have a significant impact on the battle against hospital-related infections.
…The initial FDA clearance was given to I-Flow Corporation for marketing the company’s ON-Q SilverSoaker regional anesthesia delivery catheters. ON-Q SilverSoaker catheters are treated with AcryMed’s SilvaGard, a silver nanoparticle antimicrobial coating that protects against the formation of infection-causing biofilm.
The product names that this technology comes bundled with may not inspire much confidence (SilverSoaker? PainBuster?) but this may herald a new era of infection prevention.
Flashback: SilvaGuard fights MRSA…
More from AcryMed and I-Flow…