Initial Experience Using Disposable Negative Pressure Therapy for Closed Incisions Following Outpatient Wound Reconstruction

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have provided data supporting the use of closed incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT) for management of closed incisions in patients with a high risk of developing complications; ciNPT has been shown to protect the incision environment and to minimize edema. Therefore, wound reconstruction (WR) surgical procedures, which are at high risk for failure, may benefit from ciNPT. Historically, WR procedures and the application of ciNPT have been performed in an acute hospital setting. 

OBJECTIVE: The authors evaluated a new model for outpatient wound reconstruction (OWR) in a 3-patient case series. 

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three cases of WR surgeries were performed in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia, followed by the application of disposable negative pressure wound therapy (dNPWT) at -125 mm Hg to the closed, postsurgical incision. 

RESULTS: Two women and 1 man (age range, 36–62 years), with comorbidities including obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, were evaluated. Disposable NPWT was applied over closed incisions for 5 to 7 days following WR on a nonhealing abdominal wound, a nonhealing surgical wound following right knee arthroplasty, and a nonhealing surgical wound on the left lower extremity. All incisions healed without postoperative complications, and there was 100% patient satisfaction due to the avoidance of further hospitalization and general anesthesia as well as definitive closure. 

CONCLUSIONS: While further research is needed, these 3 cases support a new model for OWR as an alternative to inpatient surgical WR. The use of dNPWT following OWR surgeries may further support successful postoperative outcomes, which is paramount. Furthermore, readily available dNPWT units may allow increased utilization of OWR procedures. 

CITATION
Desvigne MN, Berman ML, Villanueva DS, et al. Initial experience using disposable negative pressure therapy for closed incisions following outpatient wound reconstruction. Poster presented at: Symposium on Advanced Wound Care Fall; November 2-4, 2018; Las Vegas, NV.

Product: SNAP Therapy System (KCI, an Acelity Company, San Antonio, TX)

This abstract was not subject to the WOUNDS peer-review process.