Evaluation of negative pressure wound therapy to closed laparotomy incisions in acute care surgery

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.