#Negative pressure wound therapy vac skin#

The foam has pores ranging in size from 400 to 600 µm and can be trimmed to fit the size and geometry of any wound. The system consists of a polyurethane foam sponge, a semiocclusive adhesive cover, a fluid collection system and a suction pump. VAC therapy, also known as negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), refers to a wound dressing system that provides subatmospheric pressure across the entirety of the wound site. Since then, VAC therapy has significantly evolved over the years and grown to become one of the most powerful tools in the plastic surgeons' armamentarium. Based on the same rationale, Argenta et al popularized, in 1997, the vacuum-assisted wound closure (VAC) device as an innovative method of improving secondary intention wound healing. Complementary studies brought the investigators to describe how subatmospheric pressure dressings can be beneficial in the treatment of both acute and chronic infected wounds, as well as fasciotomy wounds of the lower extremity. They created a vacuum-sealed dressing to promote the healing of open fracture wounds in trauma patients. The concept of using controlled subatmospheric pressure to treat open or infected wounds was initially described by Fleischmann et al in 1993.

#Negative pressure wound therapy vac skin#

Finally, vacuum-assisted wound closure therapy has been demonstrated to be efficient for various clinical settings, such as the management of diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcerations, chronic wounds, and skin grafts. These include NPWT with instillation therapy (NPWTi-d), different cleansing options, and application of NPWT on primarily closed incisions. New NPWT modalities have been recently developed to make NPWT suitable for a wider variety of wounds. Rarely will complications linked to NPWT occur, but special care must be taken to prevent events such as toxic shock syndrome, fistulization, bleeding, and pain. Its effectiveness is explained by four main mechanisms of action, including macrodeformation of the tissues, drainage of extracellular inflammatory fluids, stabilization of the environment of the wound, and microdeformation. The system consists of a sponge, a semiocclusive barrier, and a fluid collection system. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) promotes healing by evenly applying negative pressure on the surface of the wound.