Effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy: Minimum five-year follow-up and review of the literature.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in a five-year patient cohort and to discuss the results in the light of literature data.

Patients and methods: Between January 2012 and December 2016, a total of 74 patients (35 males, 39 females; median age: 60 years; range, 20 to 95 years) who received NPWT were retrospectively analyzed. The patients included 49 orthopedic and traumatology, 12 vascular surgery, and 13 general surgery patients. The efficacy of wound healing, bacterial load, and the impact of comorbidities on wound healing were examined.

Results: The distribution of wound types varied very widely. Certain comorbidities affected wound healing. In orthopedic traumatology patients, we observed mainly skin flora infection (57.14%), while in surgical and vascular patients, mixed flora (80%) and in many cases poly-resistant pathogens were present (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 24%) A total of 43.3% of wounds were completely closed, while 44.6% of patients had a wound healing. Successful skin grafting was performed in 75% of wounds.

Conclusion: This technique may be used as widely and as early as possible. However, further large-scale, multi-center, randomized clinical trials are needed worldwide to find a place for this technique in wound care and even in primary care.