Argentum Medical, manufacturer of Silverlon®, a clinically proven infection prevention technology, announced today that it has completed a recapitalization and received a significant capital infusion by a group of investors led by Cura Surgical, the leading distributor of Silverlon products.
Since its inception in 2001, Argentum Medical, based in Chicago, IL, has sold millions of Silverlon antimicrobial silver dressings, which include 65 different dressing combinations and sizes to reduce the incidence of surgical site infection, improve burn treatment and heal chronic wounds.
With the recapitalization and a new board of directors and senior management team, Argentum plans to accelerate the growth of Silverlon worldwide. Raul Brizuela, president of Cura Surgical, now also serves as president and CEO of Argentum Medical. The move unites the manufacturing and distribution arms of Silverlon.
“We are in healthcare facilities around the world every day, and we understand the urgency of reducing surgical site infections, as well as the complexities involved in delivering cost-effective care with positive outcomes,” said Brizuela, “We believe Silverlon is at the forefront of infection prevention, and we are excited to be the driving force behind its growth.”
Clinical research has shown that Silverlon dressings are highly effective at reducing the incidence of infection, such as surgical site infections and hospital-acquired infections, as well as in healing burns and chronic wounds.
Researchers at the University of South Florida, in a prospective, randomized, controlled trial, found that the use of silver nylon dressings reduced the surgical site infection rate for colorectal surgeries by 60% compared with control group. Their findings were published in August 2011 in the peer-reviewed journal Diseases of the Colon and Rectum. Other published studies have found similar results in open heart and spine surgery.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), healthcare-associated infections (HAI) occur in one out of every 20 hospitalized patients. In a 2009 CDC paper, estimates of the direct costs of HAI to hospitals ranged from $28.4 to $45 billion per year. The American College of Surgeons recently announced a three-year collaboration with the CDC aimed at preventing surgical site infections and other adverse outcomes.
“Infection prevention is a key concern for healthcare organizations today,” Brizuela observed. “Silverlon can play a prominent role in the initiatives to reduce infection rates. We will continue to invest in high-level clinical research proving that Silverlon prevents surgical site and HAI infections.”
Silverlon antimicrobial silver dressings have been proven in multiple studies to decrease the rate of surgical site infections. Silverlon was developed for the U.S. military, where it is extensively used for treatment of burn and blast injuries. Silverlon dressings are used by surgeons and other healthcare professionals around the world to prevent surgical site infection, IV and catheter-related infections, accelerate negative pressure therapy, treat burns, skin grafts, and other chronic wounds in pediatric and adult patients. Silverlon dressings have been proven effective at reducing the incidence of microbial infection, including MRSA and VRE.
