Use of negative pressure dressings in head and neck reconstruction

Head and neck microvascular surgery commonly requires management of complex wounds of the upper aerodigestive tract and donor sites. Negative pressure dressings have been reported to promote healing in compromised wounds.

Between February 2001 and June 2004, data were collected in a retrospective manner on 23 patients who underwent treatment with negative pressure dressings at two tertiary care institutions.

Twenty-three patients underwent negative pressure wound treatment for donor site complications (n = 9) or head and neck wounds (n = 14) with a minimum of 5 months follow-up. Average duration of treatment was 6.5 days. Indications for use in wound complications included wound breakdown (n = 3), fistula with carotid exposure (n = 4), tendon exposure of donor site (n = 6), and others (n = 3). On average, granulation tissue was promoted in across 93% of the wound bed over the course of treatment. Two patients with anterior mandibular hardware exposure were managed successfully with negative pressure dressings. Large split-thickness skin grafts (average size, 135 cm2) at mobile sites were bolstered with negative pressure dressings in seven patients with an overall take rate of 74%.

Although of limited use as a bolster for split-thickness skin grafts, negative pressure dressings are safe and effective in the management of complex head and neck wounds and in the treatment of donor site complications.