Subject(s)
Duodenum/injuries , Adolescent , Adult , Databases, Factual , Duodenum/surgery , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , North Dakota/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies , South Dakota/epidemiology , Trauma Centers/statistics & numerical data , Wounds, Nonpenetrating/epidemiology , Wounds, Stab/epidemiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Surgical site complications in the form of wound infections are a major burden to the healthcare system. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) as delivered by a surgical incision management system (SIMS) is a novel approach to improve wound healing when applied to closed incisions. However, data is limited in its application to laparotomy incisions in the acute care surgery setting. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was performed to evaluate the outcomes of SIMS with regard to surgical site infections in a series of 48 consecutive patients in which SIMS was applied to closed laparotomy incisions in the acute care surgery setting. RESULTS: 48 cases were matched with equivalent controls without significant differences between groups. Patients who received the SIMS had significantly lower rates of surgical site infection and readmission rates. CONCLUSIONS: Negative pressure surgical incision management systems may be a novel approach to reduce surgical site infections in acute care surgery.
