The Use of Silver Lined Surgical Glue to Seal Superficial Wounds and Promote Healing by Preventing Harmful Bacteria Growth

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

10th Grade

Presentation Topic

Physiology and Health

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Abstract

Wound care treatment is an essential part of the medical field, specifically post surgery to prevent an open wound from contracting an infection. A major problem in current medicine is infections after shoulder surgery as a result of Propionibacterium acnes. P. acnes are a form of bacteria which spread very easily and cause outbreaks on the skin. As a result of this bacteria, infections are formed in around 50% of shoulder surgeries. A key component of preventing infections in wound care is covering the wound to sterilize and seal it from outside bacteria. Thus, when done properly a protective covering reduces the risk of infection, sterilizes the wound, and promotes faster healthy healing. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if nanocrystalline silver lined liquiband would effectively prevent bacterial growth, while also determining if liquiband compromises the integrity of the silver. It was hypothesized that when liquiband was lined with nanocrystalline silver, a ring of inhibition would form around the glue, showing no bacterial growth. Different groups of silver and bandage were placed in a plate of Staphylococcus epidermidis with a Kirby disk; after 72 hours, the plates were examined for a ring of inhibition. The silver demonstrated its beneficial properties by preventing Staphylococcus epidermidis growth by forming rings on average of 47.5 to 50 mm in diameter. This concludes that silver lined liquiband effectively prevents bacteria growth, and when applied to a surgical aspect, provides a way to seal wounds whilst reducing the risk of infection.

Location

ECL 118

Start Date

3-25-2023 10:15 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 25th, 10:15 AM

The Use of Silver Lined Surgical Glue to Seal Superficial Wounds and Promote Healing by Preventing Harmful Bacteria Growth

ECL 118

Wound care treatment is an essential part of the medical field, specifically post surgery to prevent an open wound from contracting an infection. A major problem in current medicine is infections after shoulder surgery as a result of Propionibacterium acnes. P. acnes are a form of bacteria which spread very easily and cause outbreaks on the skin. As a result of this bacteria, infections are formed in around 50% of shoulder surgeries. A key component of preventing infections in wound care is covering the wound to sterilize and seal it from outside bacteria. Thus, when done properly a protective covering reduces the risk of infection, sterilizes the wound, and promotes faster healthy healing. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if nanocrystalline silver lined liquiband would effectively prevent bacterial growth, while also determining if liquiband compromises the integrity of the silver. It was hypothesized that when liquiband was lined with nanocrystalline silver, a ring of inhibition would form around the glue, showing no bacterial growth. Different groups of silver and bandage were placed in a plate of Staphylococcus epidermidis with a Kirby disk; after 72 hours, the plates were examined for a ring of inhibition. The silver demonstrated its beneficial properties by preventing Staphylococcus epidermidis growth by forming rings on average of 47.5 to 50 mm in diameter. This concludes that silver lined liquiband effectively prevents bacteria growth, and when applied to a surgical aspect, provides a way to seal wounds whilst reducing the risk of infection.