[Negative pressure wound therapy in Iceland - indication and outcome]

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is a recent therapeutic option in wound healing, where a vacuum source is used to create sub-atmospheric pressure in the wound bed with airtight dressings. The aims were to study the indications for the use of NPWT in a whole country and evaluate the outcome of treatment.

This was a retrospective study that included all patients that were treated with NPWT in Iceland between January and December 2008. Information on indication, duration and outcome of treatment was collected from patient charts. Factors that are known to affect wound healing, such as diabetes, smoking and age, were also registered.

During the 12 month study period a total of 65 NPWT-treatments were given to 56 patients; 35 (63%) males and 21 (37%) females, with an average age of 62 yrs (range; 8 - 93). The indications for treatment were: wound infection (40%), promotion of wound healing (42%) and keeping cavities open (19%). The lower limbs (26%) and chest area (25%) were the most common sites for treatment. Six patients died during the treatment period, none of them due to complications related to NPWT, and these patients were excluded from analysis of wound healing. In the other 59 treatments, 40 wounds (68%) healed successfully, but healing was incomplete in 19. Treatment related complications were recorded in 19 (32%) cases; wound pain (12%) and skin problems (11%) being the most common ones.

NPWT has been used considerably in Iceland, especially for infected surgical wounds and chronic wounds. In two thirds of cases a complete wound healing was achieved, which must be regarded as a favorable outcome.