Negative-pressure wound therapy in the military: lessons learned

The utilization of negative pressure for medicinal purposes dates back to 600 bc. The U.S. military has been engaged in continuous overseas combat operations since 2001. Negative-pressure wound therapy has been in use in the treatment of casualties from these operations since 2004. It represents a new standard of practice in combat wound care; it promotes granulation tissue formation and creates mechanical forces supporting wound contraction, facilitating definitive wound closure. This article describes (1) the use of negative-pressure wound therapy in combat casualty care, (2) inherent challenges of its use in theater of operations and across the echelons of care, (3) modifications of this wound therapy to meet military-specific needs, and (4) future directions with this novel wound care modality.