Evaluation of Healing and External Tunnel Histology of Silver-Coated Peritoneal Catheters in Rats

This study evaluated the healing and biocompatibility of silver-coated versus standard peritoneal catheters in 14 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Silver-coated catheters showed improved healing, with 6 out of 7 exit sites healing excellently, compared to 4 out of 7 for standard catheters. The study found that silver-coating potentially enhanced healing at catheter exit sites, while the histomorphology of the external tunnel was similar for both types, indicating favorable biocompatibility of silver. The presence of inflammation, vascularity, and fibrosis was assessed, with poorly healing sites showing marked inflammation and vascular granulation tissue.