gms | German Medical Science

35. Jahrestagung der Deutschsprachigen Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Verbrennungsbehandlung (DAV 2017)

11.01. - 14.01.2017, Chur, Schweiz

Use of negative pressure wound therapy with installation in burn wounds – First experiences

Meeting Abstract

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  • S. Blome-Eberwein - Lehigh Valley Hospital Network, Allentown, PA, United States

Deutschsprachige Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Verbrennungsbehandlung. 35. Jahrestagung der Deutschsprachigen Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Verbrennungsbehandlung (DAV 2017). Chur, Schweiz, 11.-14.01.2017. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2017. Doc17dav5.6

doi: 10.3205/17dav38, urn:nbn:de:0183-17dav380

Published: January 18, 2017

© 2017 Blome-Eberwein.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. See license information at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.


Outline

Text

Background: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been integrated in acute and reconstructive burn care and is now available with the option to instill topical solutions, which can potentially decrease patient discomfort and nursing time when using “irrigation-soak” dressings. We present our experience using NPWT with instillation and dwell time (NPWTi-d*) in managing burn wounds.

Methodology: Patients were managed in inpatient burn center with NPWTi-d using hypochlorite- or sulfur-based topical solutions (dwell time of 10 or 30 minutes), followed by NPWT every 6 hours. Wounds were initially debrided in operating room. Patient 1 was a 42-year-old male with bilateral electrical hand burns, patient 2 was a 22-year-old male with severe elbow friction burn, and patient 3 was a 31-year-old female with large subcutaneous degloving-friction injury. Prior to debridement and NPWTi-d, cream dressings were used.

Results: After 1–2 weeks of NPWTi-d, wounds were stabilized for closure: patient 1 closed with local flaps and split-thickness skin grafts (STSG), patient 2 closed with STSG, and patient 3 closed with local advancement and STSG. Patients 1 and 3 were followed in outpatient burn center for 12 months; wounds remained closed. Patient 2 moved out of the area after grafting.

Conclusions/Discussion: In these patients, adjunctive NPWTi-d allowed for optimal wound management in the burn center. We noted reduced dressing changes and improved patient/nurse perception of wound management burden. Prospective evaluation with standardized patient and nurse feedback should be pursued in larger populations of burn wounds.