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Saint et al¹ focus on using silver alloy urinary catheters to decrease the risk of urinary tract infection in catheterized patients. They felt it was better to use silver-coated catheters instead of antibiotic-coated catheters because of the fear that resistance to the antibiotics would develop. They did not look at potential complications from exposure to silver alloy of a mucus membrane such as the urethra. Argyria, the name of the condition that occurs when silver is deposited in the body, can be a local or systemic problem. When a mucous membrane is exposed, argyria tends to be systemic and can lead to problems such as nausea, constipation, and even loss of night vision.²

The use of silver-containing products medicinally for sinusitis or cough or as a dietary supplement has been decreasing since the 1970s, when silver was widely used in tonics and the effects were noticeable. There have been case . . . [Full Text of this Article]