Since 2006, AcryMed, Inc.‘s SilvaGard® nanosilver coating has been used to treat certain soaker catheters manufactured by I-Flow. The SilvaGard® coating is claimed to be an effective antimicrobial that reduces surgical site infections. A recent article in The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, "Antimicrobial surface functionalization of plastic catheters by silver nanoparticles," confirmed that catheters coated with nanosilver exhibit significant antimicrobial activity in in vitro tests. I-Flow recently announced catheters used with its "ON-Q" surgical site pain relief device will also employ SilvaGard® nanosilver coatings.
