Use of a Silver Foam Dressing with Silicone for Fungating Breast Lesions

Treatment of fungating breast lesions has always been challenging due to the complexity of the lesions. Patients typically complain of atypical pain associated with any type of dressing change and management of exudate and odor. Use of a silver impregnated dressing with a silicone backing in 3 patients was found to be effective by eliminating pain associated with previous dressings such as wet to dry, controlling odor with the silver dressing, reducing the bioburden with the silver in the dressing and management of exudate with the foam dressing. 

3 patients  with advanced fungating breast lesions were chosen to participate in the use of the silver foam dressing, all females in the 50 - 55 year old age group. Pain control and fear of pain was a big concern of all these patients due to previous unpleasant experiences with traditional dressings that dried on the friable, often non-viable tissue that was heavily exudating and was so unmanageable that these individuals were unable or reluctant to leave their homes due to drainage of odiferous exudate that would stain their clothes or easily soak their clothes. After application of the silver foam dressing with silicone all 3 patients were able to totally perform or assist with their dressing changes without pain or fear or anticipated pain, the odor was reduced or eliminated and the fluid was managable.