Effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy in treating diabetic foot ulcers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) present devastating complications. Management of these wounds includes applying a vacuum device composed of a fenestrated tube embedded in a foam dressing and connected to a vacuum pump to collect the fluid in a vessel. OBJECTIVE: To review the effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in treating DFUs and evaluate the clinical outcomes of full and partial wound healing. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted after searching the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. Studies that described the use of NPWT in the management of DFUs were included and compared with different interventions for the proposed outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies were included, 1 of which was later excluded during internal validation. Wound healing outcomes were analyzed in 2 studies, showing the superiority of total wound healing in the NPWT group. Ten studies compared the effect of different interventions on wound area reduction and 8 of these results were best with NPWT. Three studies showed clinical and statistical homogeneity (I² = 100%), making it possible to conduct a meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: Although the articles included in this systematic review have limitations regarding methodological quality and clinical heterogeneity, the results showed the potential benefit of NPWT in healing and wound area reduction. These outcomes are essential in the prevention of amputation in patients with DFU.

Vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction for temporary closure in open abdomen: A single-arm meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Open abdomen (OA) therapy is used in the management of patients who require surgery for severe abdominal conditions. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the VAWCM technique regarding short and long-term outcomes. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central were systematically searched for studies that analyzed VAWCM therapy in OA. Primary outcomes were the complete fascial closure rate and mean duration of OA treatment. Statistical analyses were performed using R statistical software. RESULTS: Seven studies comprising 535 patients were included. We found a complete fascial closure rate of 77.3 per 100 patients (80.1%; 95% CI 59.6-88.7; I2 = 76%), with an overall mortality of 30.3 per 100 (33.5%; 95% CI 9.3-19.4; I2 = 78%). The pooled mean duration of OA treatment was 14.6 days (95% CI 10.7-18.6; I2 = 93%), while the mean length of hospital stay was 43.3 days (95% CI 21.2-65.3; I2 = 96%). As additional outcomes, we found an enteroatmospheric fistula rate of 5.6 per 100 patients (5.4%; 95% CI 2.3-13.3; I2 = 45%) and incisional hernia rate of 34.7 per 100 (34.6%; 95% CI 28.9-41.1; I2 = 0%). The subgroup analysis of mesh materials (polypropylene or polyglactin) showed a higher complete fascial closure rate for the polyglactin (89.1% vs. 66.6%; p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that VAWCM is a viable option for OA treatment, successfully reaching complete fascial closure, with a low duration of the technique, even though it presented a high heterogeneity between the studies.

The effectiveness of negative pressure therapy in burns: scoping review / A efetividade da terapia por pressãonegativa em queimaduras: revisão de escopo / La efectividad de la terapia de presiónnegativa en quemaduras: revisión del alcance

Objetivo: Mapear a produção científica a respeito do uso da terapia de pressão negativa no tratamento de queimaduras, em pacientes adultos e idosos hospitalizados. Método: Revisão de escopo seguindo o método da JBI com busca da produção científica na PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde e Banco de Teses da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior nos meses de março a maio de 2021. Foram incluídos estudos com pacientes adultos e idosos com queimaduras, submetidos à terapia por pressão negativa no hospital. Não houve restrição de idioma, nem período de tempo. Resultados: Foram identificadas 106 publicações e, após o processo de seleção, cinco estudos compuseram a amostra final. Os resultados demonstraram que a aplicação da terapia por pressão negativa em queimaduras constituiu-se como uma ferramenta efetiva na cicatrização de queimaduras térmicas, químicas e elétricas, destacando-se a otimização do tempo de cicatrização, formação de um tecido de granulação saudável, diminuição do edema, redução da infecção, drenagem e monitorização do edema. Conclusão: O tratamento de queimaduras utilizando a pressão negativa tem se mostrado um método efetivo, visto os benefícios que promove no processo cicatricial. Sugere-se que a temática seja mais difundida, aprofundando-se o conhecimento sobre o uso desta tecnologia. (AU)

Objective: To map the scientific production regarding the use of negative pressure wound therapy in burn treatment of hospitalized adult and aged patients. Method: Scope review following the JBI method with a search for scientific production in PubMed, the Scientific Electronic Library Online, the Virtual Health Library, and the Thesis Database of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel from March to May 2021. Studies with adult and aged burn patients undergoing negative pressure wound therapy in hospitals were included. There was no language or time frame restriction. Results: 106 publications were identified and 5 studies made up the final sample after the selection process. The results demonstrated that applying negative pressure wound therapy to burns was effective in healing thermal, chemical, and electrical burns, esoecially regarding healing time optimization, healthy granulation tissue formation, edema and infection reduction, and edema drainage and monitoring. Conclusion: Burn treatment using negative pressure has proven effective, given the benefits it promotes in the healing process. The theme should be more widely spread to deepen the knowledge about the use of this technology. (AU)

Objetivo: Mapear la producción científica sobre el uso de la terapia de presión negativa en el tratamiento de quemaduras en pacientes adultos y ancianos hospitalizados. Método: Revisión de alcance siguiendo el método JBI con búsqueda de producción científica en PubMed, Biblioteca Científica Electrónica en Línea, Biblioteca Virtual en Salud y Banco de Tesis de la Coordinación para el Perfeccionamiento del Personal de Educación Superior en los meses de marzo a mayo de 2021. Se incluyeron estudios con adultos y pacientes ancianos quemados sometidos a terapia de presión negativa en el hospital. No hubo restricción de idioma ni período de tiempo. Resultados: Se identificaron 106 publicaciones y luego del proceso de selección, 5 estudios conformaron la muestra final. Los resultados demostraron que la aplicación de la terapia de presión negativa en quemaduras constituyó una herramienta eficaz en la curación de quemaduras térmicas, químicas y eléctricas, destacándose la optimización del tiempo de curación, formación de tejido de granulación sano, reducción de edema, reducción de infección, drenaje y seguimiento del edema. Conclusión: El tratamiento de quemaduras mediante presión negativa ha demostrado ser un método efectivo, dados los beneficios que promueve en el proceso de cicatrización. Se sugiere que el tema sea más difundido, profundizando el conocimiento sobre el uso de esta tecnología. (AU)

Open or closed abdomen post laparotomy to control severe abdominal sepsis: a survival analysis.

INTRODUCTION: severe abdominal sepsis, accompained by diffuse peritonitis, poses a significant challenge for most surgeons. It often requires repetitive surgical interventions, leading to complications and resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates. The open abdomen technique, facilitated by applying a negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT), reduces the duration of the initial surgical procedure, minimizes the accumulation of secretions and inflammatory mediators in the abdominal cavity and lowers the risk of abdominal compartment syndrome and its associated complications. Another approach is primary closure of the abdominal aponeurosis, which involves suturing the layers of the abdominal wall. METHODS: the objective of this study is to conduct a survival analysis comparing the treatment of severe abdominal sepsis using open abdomen technique versus primary closure after laparotomy in a public hospital in the South of Brazil. We utilized data extracted from electronic medical records to perform both descriptive and survival analysis, employing the Kaplan-Meier curve and a log-rank test. RESULTS: the study sample encompassed 75 laparotomies conducted over a span of 5 years, with 40 cases employing NPWT and 35 cases utilizing primary closure. The overall mortality rate observed was 55%. Notably, survival rates did not exhibit statistical significance when comparing the two methods, even after stratifying the data into separate analysis groups for each technique. CONCLUSION: recent publications on this subject have reported some favorable outcomes associated with the open abdomen technique underscoring the pressing need for a standardized approach to managing patients with severe, complicated abdominal sepsis.

Endoscopic self-expandable metal stent versus endoscopy vacuum therapy for traumatic esophageal perforations: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic esophageal perforations (TEP) are a grave medical condition and require immediate intervention. Techniques such as Esophageal Self-Expandable Metal Stent (E-SEMS) and Endoscopic Vacuum Therapy (EVT) show promise in reducing tissue damage and controlling esophageal leakage. The present study aims to compare the application of EVT to E-SEMS placement in TEP. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study valuated 30 patients with TEP. The E-SEMS and EVT groups were assessed for time of hospitalization, treatment duration, costs, and clinical outcome. RESULTS: Patients treated with EVT (24.4 ± 13.2) demonstrated significantly shorter treatment duration (p < 0.005) compared to the group treated with E-SEMS (45.8 ± 12.9) and patients submitted to E-SEMS demonstrated a significant reduction (p = 0.02) in the time of hospitalization compared to the EVT (34 ± 2 vs 82 ± 5 days). Both groups demonstrated a satisfactory discharge rate (E-SEMS 93.7% vs EVT 71.4%) but did not show statistically significant difference (p = 0.3155). E-SEMS treatment had a lower mean cost than EVT (p < 0.05). Descriptive statistics were utilized, arranged in table form, where frequencies, percentages, mean, median, and standard deviation of the study variables were calculated and counted. The Fisher's Exact Test was used to evaluate the relationship between two categorical variables. To evaluate differences between means and central points, the parametric t-test was utilized. Comparisons with p value up to 0.05 were considered significant. CONCLUSION: E-SEMS showed a shorter time of hospitalization, but a longer duration of treatment compared to EVT. The placement of E-SEMS and EVT had the same clinical outcome. Treatment with E-SEMS had a lower cost compared with EVT.

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy After Intestinal Anastomosis: A Risk Factor Analysis for Dehiscence.

INTRODUCTION: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is part of the temporary abdominal closure in the treatment of patients with traumatic, inflammatory, or vascular disease. However, the use of NPWT when performing an intestinal anastomosis has been controversial. This study aimed to describe the patients managed with NPWT therapy and identify the risk factors for anastomotic dehiscence when intestinal anastomosis was performed. METHODS: A single-center cohort study with prospectively collected databases was performed. Patients who required NPWT therapy from January 2014 to December 2018 were included. Patients were stratified according to the performance of intestinal anastomosis and according to the presence of dehiscence. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed for anastomotic dehiscence and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 97 patients were included. Median age was 52 y old [interquartile range 24.5-70]. Male patients corresponded to 75.6% (n = 34) of the population. Delayed fascial closure was performed in 80% (n = 36). The risk of anastomotic dehiscence was higher in females (odds ratio (OR) 11.52 [confidence interval (CI) 1.29-97.85], P = 0.030), delayed fascial closure (OR 18.18 [CI 2.02-163.5], P = 0.010) and use of vasopressors (OR 12.04 [CI 1.22-118.47], P = 0.033). NPWT pressures >110 mmHg were evidenced in the dehiscence group with statistically significant value (OR 1.2 [0.99-2.26] p 0.04) CONCLUSIONS: There is still controversy in the use of NPWT when performing intestinal anastomosis. According to our data, the risk of dehiscence is higher in females, delayed fascial closure, use of vasopressors, and NPWT pressures >110 MMHG.

Enteroatmospheric fistulas in open abdomen in trauma associated with abdominal reintervention and VAC therapy.

BACKGROUND: Open abdomen is an alternative for the management of trauma patient, and negative pressure therapy of the wound using VAC® device is a genuine sort of treatment. Although the device poses technical advantages, risks are present and a critical complication is the enteroatmospheric fistula formation (EAF). OBJECTIVE: To analize the role of negative pressure therapy length and VAC® device number of changes on the EAF formation in trauma patients udergoing open abdomen. METHOD: Cut-off points were calculated using receiver operational characteristics curve. Values were compared with Student's t or Mann-Withney U tests, considering statistically significant p < 0.05. RESULTS: EAF were present in 39 cases (5.9%). A significant difference in the presence of EAF was present in patients with negative pressure therapy of the wound length ≥ 11.2 days (46.9 vs. 1.3%; relative risk [RR]: 3.67; 95% confidence interval [95% IC]: 2.4-6.68; p = 0.017) and when ≥ 2.6 VAC® device changes were performed (34.6 vs. 0.5%; RR: 6.92; 95% IC: 1.1-4.3; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: At our institution, the practice of >3 VAC® device changes and length of therapy > 11 days should be carefully considered leading to reduce the risk of EAF formation.

INTRODUCCIÓN: El abdomen abierto es una alternativa para manejar al paciente traumatizado, y una variante para instituirlo es la terapia de presión negativa de la herida con el dispositivo VAC®. Aunque tiene ventajas técnicas, no está exento de riesgos y una complicación crítica es la formación de fístulas enteroatmosféricas (FEA). OBJETIVO: Analizar el papel de la duración de la terapia de presión negativa y del número de cambios del dispositivo VAC® sobre la aparición de FEA en pacientes traumatizados manejados con abdomen abierto. MÉTODO: Se establecieron puntos de corte con curva de características operacionales del receptor. Los valores se compararon con la prueba t de Student o U de Mann-Whitney, considerando p < 0.05 como valor estadísticamente significativo. RESULTADOS: La FEA se presentó en 39 casos (5.9%). Hubo una diferencia significativa en la aparición de FEA en pacientes con duración de la terapia de presión negativa de la herida ≥ 11.2 días (46.9 vs 1.3%; riesgo relativo [RR]: 3.67; intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC95%]: 2.4-6.68; p = 0.017) y cuando se practicaron ≥ 2.6 cambios del dispositivo VAC® (34.6 vs. 0.5%; RR: 6.92; IC95%: 1.1-4.3; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONES: En nuestra institución, la práctica de más de tres cambios del dispositivo VAC® y el mantenimiento de la terapia por más de 11 días debe ser cuidadosamente considerado para reducir el riesgo de formación de FEA.

Sistema de presión negativa como tratamiento de la venta torácica: informe de caso / Negative pressure system as a thoracic window treatment: a case report

Introducción: Se presenta un caso clínico de sistema de presión negativa como tratamiento de ventana torácica derecha, realizado en la clínica de heridas. Se describe el tiempo y proceso de cicatrización, desde la llegada del paciente hasta la cicatrización total. Caso: Hombre de 24 años, postoperado de toracotomía, se le colocó terapia de presión negativa inicial a -75mmHg con intensidad media y modalidad continua; se aplicó esponja blanca para proteger el pulmón expuesto y esponja de plata, con tres cambios cada siete días. Posteriormente, se realizaron diez cambios de esponjas cada cuatro días, identificando disminución de las dimensiones de la ventana torácica. En la semana once inició tratamiento con terapia húmeda y fibrina rica en plaquetas, la cual se colocó en el lecho de la herida, aplicándose una vez por semana durante un mes. A partir de la semana quince se realizó curación diaria con aplicación de sulfadiazina de plata. El paciente fue dado de alta en la semana veinte con la herida 100% epitelizada. Conclusiones: El uso de la terapia de presión negativa acelera el proceso de curación, reduce las complicaciones y la carga bacteriana del tejido, debido a que la esponja de plata actúa como barrera antimicrobiana.

Introduction: A clinical case of negative pressure system as a right thoracic window treatment, performed in the wound clinic, is presented. The time and healing process from patient arrival to complete healing is described. Case: A 24-year-old man, postoperative thoracotomy, was placed on negative pressure therapy at -75mmHg with medium intensity and continuous mode; white sponge was applied to protect the exposed lung and silver sponge, with three changes every seven days. Subsequently, ten sponge changes were performed every four days, identifying a decrease in the dimensions of the thoracic window. In week eleven, the patient started treatment with wet therapy and platelet-rich fibrin, which was placed in the wound bed and applied once a week for a month. From week fifteen onwards, daily healing was performed with silver sulfadiazine application. The patient was discharged at week twenty with the wound 100% epithelialized. Conclusions: The use of negative pressure therapy accelerates the healing process, reduces complications and tissue bacterial load, due to the silver sponge acting as an antimicrobial barrier.

[E-VAC therapy as treatment of complications in gastrointestinal surgery in a gastroenterology reference center in Colombia: Case series]. / Terapia E-VAC como tratamiento de complicaciones en cirugía gastrointestinal en centro de referencia de gastroenterología en Colombia: Serie de casos.

Gastrointestinal postoperative anastomotic leaks and fistulas occur frequently and many are managed surgically; however, endoscopic interventions have shown to improve healing outcomes and length of hospital stay. The experience of vacuum-assisted closure therapy (E-VAC) is described, in complications such as fistulas and postoperative anastomotic leaks, in a gastrointestinal reference center in Colombia. A case series study was carried out in patients with anastomotic leaks and fistulas at different levels of the digestive tract, treated by E-VAC, by the Gastroenterology Service in Colombia, during a period from February 2019 to November 2021. Sociodemographic, clinical and surgical variables were described. 6 cases are described, 4 from lower digestive tract and 2 from upper digestive tract. 83% were men; the mean age was 51.8 years (+/-17.5). The indication for E-VAC was colorectal anastomotic fistula in 66%; the most frequent anatomical location was near the anal region (66%), less frequently at the level of the cardia (16%) and esophagus (16%). The size of the defect was described between 20 and 80% in patients undergoing E-VAC therapy, with an average hospitalization length of stay of 22.5 days, with an average number of exchanges of seven per patient. Anastomotic leaks and fistulas are potentially fatal complications in gastrointestinal surgery. E-VAC therapy has shown to be effective and safe, promoting defect closure and drainage of collections present, also decreasing the length of hospital stay.

Tube-in-tube endoscopic vacuum therapy for treatment of colorectal anastomotic leaks: A low-cost, patient-friendly, feasible and efficient technical modification of sponge-based endoscopic vacuum therapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Colorectal endoscopic vacuum therapy (CR EVT) is usually performed using sponges passed through the anus. It may be associated with patient discomfort and displacement of the aspiration tube. METHODS: With the tube-in-tube endoscopic vacuum therapy modification (CR TT-EVT), it is possible to position the aspiration tube in the pelvic cavity through the abdominal wall. In addition, it allows frequent cleaning of the fistula, eliminates the need for programmed device changes, and enables a standardized approach to such a wide variety of fistulas, leaks, and perforations. RESULTS: Here is a technical note on how to perform CR TT-EVT, while we are at the early phase of our case series we have reached 100% of technical success.

The Efficacy of VAMMFT Compared to "Bogota Bag" in Achieving Sheath Closure Following Temporary Abdominal Closure at Index Laparotomy for Trauma.

INTRODUCTION: The open abdomen (OA) is a necessary component of damage control surgery and closure is often challenging. Our aim was to review our ten-year experience with OA in trauma patients and to compare the success of a dual closure technique termed vacuum-assisted, mesh-mediated fascial traction (VAMMFT) to an exclusively Bogota Bag (BB) approach. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed using the HEMR database from 2012 to 2022, comparing demographics, mechanism of injury, admission vitals and biochemistry between patients with BB and VAMMFT applications. Rate of secondary abdominal closure and complications were assessed in both groups. Logistic regression was used to find predictors of closure. RESULTS: OA was required by 348 patients at index laparotomy. Of these, 133 (38.2%) were managed with VAMMFT and 215 (61.8%) exclusively with a BB. There were no statistical differences between the BB and VAMMFT groups in terms of demographics, injuries, admission vitals and biochemistry. The VAMMFT group achieved a closure rate of 73% compared to 54.9% in the BB group (OR of 2.2 [1.4-3.7]). There was no significant difference in fistulation rate between the two groups (p = 0.103). Length of hospital stay was 30 versus 17 days in the VAMMFT and BB groups, respectively (OR 1.41 [1.30-1.54]). There were no independent predictors of closure identified in the VAMMFT group. Older patients were less likely to achieve closure when BB was used (OR 0.97 [0.95-0.99]). VAMMFT failure was commonly due to lack of stock (39%) and protocol violations (33%). CONCLUSION: The VAMMFT approach to the OA is efficacious and safe. VAMMFT achieves a much higher rate of secondary closure than BB alone with a low rate of enteric fistula formation.

Homemade endoscopic vacuum therapy device for the management of transmural gastrointestinal defects.

OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) possesses a unique mechanism of action providing a less invasive alternative for the management of transmural gastrointestinal defects (TGID). This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of a novel homemade EVT (H-EVT) for the treatment of TGID. METHODS: Retrospective multicenter study including patients who underwent H-EVT for TGID between January 2019 and January 2022. Main outcomes included technical and clinical success as well as safety outcomes. Subgroup analyses were included by defect location and classification. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine predictors for successful closure. RESULTS: A total of 144 patients were included. Technical success was achieved in all patients, with clinical success achieved in 88.89% after a mean of 3.49 H-EVT exchanges over an average of 23.51 days. After excluding 10 cases wherein it was not possible to achieve negative pressure, successful closure occurred in 95.52% of patients. Time to clinical success was less for defects caused by endoscopic (hazard ratio [HR] 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33-1.20) compared to surgical procedures and for patients with simultaneous intracavitary and intraluminal H-EVT placement (HR 0.70; 95% CI 0.55-0.91). Location and classification of defect did not impact clinical success rate. Simultaneous placement of both an intraluminal and intracavitary H-EVT (odds ratio 3.08; 95% CI 1.19-7.95) was a significant predictor of clinical success. Three device-related adverse events (2.08%) occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the H-EVT is feasible, safe, and effective for the management of TGID.

Comparison between Vacuum-Assisted Closure Technique and Conventional Approach in Patients with Mediastinitis After Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Median sternotomy is the most preferred approach in heart surgery. Post-sternotomy mediastinitis is a catastrophic and potentially life-threatening complication with an incidence rate of 0.15% to 5%, and its overall mortality rate reaches 47%. In this study, we aimed to compare the results of vacuum-assisted closure technique and the conventional methods on the management of mediastinitis following isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery. METHODS: Between February 2001 and July 2013, 32,106 patients who underwent cardiac operations were evaluated retrospectively. One hundred and fourteen patients who developed post-sternotomy mediastinitis were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups and compared - vacuum-assisted closure group (n=52, 45.6%) and conventional treatment group (n=62, 54.4%). RESULTS: There were no differences between the two groups according to the patients' characteristics, surgical data, and mediastinal cultures. However, we found that total treatment duration for post-sternotomy mediastinitis, time interval from diagnosis to negative culture, hospitalization time, and in-hospital mortality were statistically significantly lower in the vacuum-assisted closure group than in the conventional treatment group (P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001, and P=0.03, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the vacuum-assisted closure technique improves the medical outcome of patients with post-sternotomy mediastinitis compared with the conventional treatment. The vacuum-assisted closure is a safe and more effective treatment modality for patients with post-sternotomy mediastinitis after cardiac surgery with reasonable morbidity and mortality.

Benefits of negative pressure wound therapy with fat migration during revisional total hip arthroplasty in an obese patient: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: A 38-year-old African American woman presented with right hip pain and movement restriction. Her medical history included a right hip and knee arthroplasty 10 years prior, history of Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis and osteonecrosis of the hip. Preoperative assessment was significant for multiple comorbidities such as obesity (BMI > 38), hypertension, asthma. PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient presented with right hip pain, rated 7/10, and restricted hip flexion, adduction, and abduction. DIAGNOSIS: Recent imaging showed eccentric deterioration of the polyethylene lining of her prosthesis, acetabular hypertrophy on her right hip prosthesis, and chronic deformity of the pubic bone. INTERVENTIONS: Based on these findings, a revisional total hip arthroplasty was performed. After the surgical procedure, the WoundVAC and the percutaneous drain were applied outside the tensor fascia lata to reduce seroma and hematoma formation. Postoperative pain control, antibiotics and DVT prophylaxis were given. On post-op day 3, an irrigation and debridement with delayed primary wound closure was performed under sterile conditions. OUTCOMES: On postoperative assessment, the wound demonstrated adequate healing without any signs of infection. Sutures and staples were removed 4 weeks post-op. Upon palpation there was no edema, effusions, temperature changes, tenderness. Clinical inspection revealed symmetrical alignment of the pelvis and hips. Range of motion testing revealed restriction beyond 80 degrees upon flexion and beyond 5 degrees of adduction and 10 degrees of abduction. The surgical site was noted to be healed at 6 weeks post-op. The patient continued to do well to date, without exacerbations. CONCLUSION: Obesity increases the risk of post-operative complications and wound healing failure. Therefore, Vacuum-assisted wound closure (WoundVAC), a type of negative pressure wound therapy, was applied outside the tensor fascia lata post-operatively, where the surgical incision was made. Negative pressure wound therapy facilitates wound healing by stimulating angiogenesis and promoting granulation tissue formation, which in turn can reduce the risk of surgical site infection in obese patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. Highlighted is the mechanism of fat migration in the promotion of wound healing after preoperative weight loss and exercise.

Simplified vacuum dressing system: effectiveness and safety in wounds management.

PURPOSE: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has revolutionized wound care, but its high cost reduces the procedure's availability. To solve the problem, streamlined vacuum dressings systems have been proposed, but the utility of these devices has been poorly studied. The objective of this study was to evaluate a simplified vacuum dressing system model (SVDM). METHODS: Randomized clinical trial in which wounds were treated with SVDM compared to a complex occlusive dressing (silver hydrofiber, SHF). The analyzed outcomes were cleaning, presence of granulation tissue, clinical appearance, and indication for surgical closure of wounds. RESULTS: Fifty injuries were treated (25 in each group), most located on lower limbs. SVDM proved to be more effective than SHF in the evaluated outcomes. Wound recalcitrance reduced the effectiveness of the equipment used. Despite its efficacy, complications occurred, the most frequent related to dressing changes: minor bleeding, foam adherence to a wound bed, and pain. Only for bleeding no favorable risk-benefit ratio was found. There were no severe complications, worsening conditions of injuries, or deaths. CONCLUSIONS: SVDM proved to be an effective and acceptably safe device for managing studied wounds.

Endoscopic Vacuum Therapy (EVT) for the Treatment of Post-Bariatric Surgery Leaks and Fistulas: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Bariatric surgery remains the most effective treatment for morbid obesity and its comorbidities. However, post-surgical leaks and fistulas can occur in about 1-5% of patients, with challenging treatment approaches. Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) has emerged as a promising tool due to its satisfactory results and accessibility. In this first systematic review and meta-analysis on the subject, EVT revealed rates of 87.2% clinical success, 6% moderate adverse events, and 12.5% system dislodgements, requiring 6.47 EVT system exchanges every 4.39 days, with a dwell time of 25.67 days and a total length of hospitalization of 44.43 days. Although our results show that EVT is a safe and effective therapy for post-surgical leaks and fistulas, they should be interpreted with caution due to the paucity of available data.

Dermal regeneration matrix in the treatment of acute complex wounds.

INTRODUCTION: Dermal regeneration matrices (DRMs) represent a significant advance in wound treatment, but their use remains limited because of high associated costs. Used correctly, DRMs help improve aesthetic and functional results of skin-grafted areas. OBJECTIVE: This case series reports the use of a DRM of 1-mm and 2-mm thickness in the management of acute complex wounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of a cohort of patients treated between 2015 and 2018. Complex wounds were defined as those with extensive loss of skin and subcutaneous tissue, or as those in critical areas, that required sequential and specialized treatment. Management of acute wounds involved debridement of devitalized tissue, wound bed preparation, DRM implantation, and split-thickness skin grafting (STSG). Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) was used in all cases preoperatively, after DRM implantation, and after STSG. Results of integration of DRM and skin grafts were subjectively evaluated. The Vancouver Scar Scale was used to evaluate results 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Traumatic injuries were the most common etiology, and the extension of the treated wounds varied between 4 cm × 5 cm to 42 cm × 28 cm, in the greatest dimensions. A 2-mm-thick matrix was used in 14 cases, with skin grafting after 7 to 9 days. In 6 cases, a 1-mm-thick matrix was used, immediately followed by skin grafting. Negative pressure wound therapy was used in all cases. Dermal regeneration matrices and skin graft integration rates of almost 100% were achieved in all cases. No complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed use of DRM and NPWT was a good reconstructive option in the management of acute complex wounds that required STSG. With proper patient selection, such treatment is an important tool in the armamentarium of reconstructive procedures.