Vacuum-assisted closure to aid wound healing in foot and ankle surgery

Although vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) is a well-established technique in other surgical specialties, its use has not been established in the foot and ankle. The aims of this study were to determine if vacuum-assisted closure therapy (VAC) helps assist closure in diabetic foot ulcers and wounds secondary to peripheral vascular disease, if it helps debride wounds, and if it prevents the need for further surgery.

We retrospectively reviewed 15 patients (18 wounds or ulcers) with primary diagnoses of diabetes (10 patients), chronic osteomyelitis (two patients), peripheral vascular disease (two patients), and spina bifida (one patient). Eleven of the 15 patients had serious comorbidities, such as peripheral neuropathy, renal failure, and wound dehiscence. All wounds were surgically debrided before VAC therapy was applied according to the manufacturer's instructions. The main outcome measures were time to satisfactory wound closure, changes in the wound surface area, and the need for further surgery.

Satisfactory healing was achieved in 13 of the 18 wounds or ulcers at an average of 2.5 months. VAC therapy failed in five patients (five class III ulcers), three of whom required below-knee amputations. Wound or ulcer size decreased from an average of 7.41 cm(2) before treatment to an average of 1.58 cm(2) after treatment.

VAC therapy is a useful adjunct to the standard treatment of chronic wound or ulcers in patients with diabetes or peripheral vascular disease. Its use in foot and ankle surgery leads to a quicker wound closure and, in most patients, avoids the need for further surgery.