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Negative pressure wound therapy in the prevention of wound infection in high risk abdominal wound closures
The American Journal of Surgery, 12/13/2012
Exclusive author commentary
Vargo D – Negative–pressure wound therapy applied to a closed, high–risk surgical wound is safe, with no evidence of skin necrosis and decreased wound infection rate.
Daniel Vargo (12/16/2012) comments:
This was a pilot study which was designed to see if negative pressure applied to a closed abdominal surgical wound was first safe and second would decrease infection rate. There is literature from cardiac surgery that describes this closure technique and shows improved wound outcomes. There is a proprietary product that is marketed, but very little published data on its efficacy. In patients who had our "homemade" dressing applied, not only was it safe, but also showed evidence of efficacy in decreasing wound infections. We are in the process of continuing to study its use in high risk patients and plan on a follow up to this study.
