Does negative pressure wound therapy reduce wound infection?

VEVERKOVÁ, Lenka, Michal REŠKA, Jan ŽÁK and Ivan ČAPOV. Does negative pressure wound therapy reduce wound infection? In Third International Vivano Conference held from 19th – 21st March 2014 in Nuremberg, Germany. 2014. ISSN 2334-1858.

Basic information

Original name

Does negative pressure wound therapy reduce wound infection?

Authors

VEVERKOVÁ, Lenka, Michal REŠKA, Jan ŽÁK and Ivan ČAPOV

Edition

Third International Vivano Conference held from 19th – 21st March 2014 in Nuremberg, Germany, 2014

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Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Konferenční abstrakt

Field of Study

30200 3.2 Clinical medicine

Country of publisher

Germany

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Organization unit

Faculty of Medicine

ISSN

Keywords in English

NPWT wound infection

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Abstract

V originále

Purpose A prospective study of 70 patients with infected wounds treated using negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Method Seventy patients from January 2010 to December 2013 with a median age 62 years (5−95% percentiles: 23−85 years), with infected wounds of 8 cm × 5 cm to 38 cm × 35 cm and hospitalised because of wounds to the abdomen, chest, limb or sacral area were included in this prospective study. Material was obtained from the wound using a swab before, during and after NPWT to determine the level and profile of bacteria present. Results No mortalities occurred and the wounds healed accompanied by a reduced wound bacterial load, with an improvement achieved in >20% of the cases, although Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli remained present during and after NPWT treatment. Thus NPWT could be recommended for application to infected exuding wounds. Interestingly, NPWT treatment was age-dependent, with patients ≥60 years compared to those of <60 years receiving significantly longer NPWT treatment (median 18 [4−45] days and 11 [4−34] days, respectively; p = 0.034), with more frequent dressing changes (median 4 and 3 days, respectively) and remained significantly longer in hospital (median 49 [15−114] days and 29 [7−100] days, respectively; p = 0.003). Conclusion NPWT can be used in a wide range of cases to reduce wound bacterial load. However, a positive cultivation result does not necessarily mean it leads to a clinical manifestation. Therefore, this prospective study is unable to provide a clear yes or no answer.