Pain associated with negative pressure wound therapy

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has emerged as an effective treatment option for a variety of complex wounds. However, pain is anecdotally a common side effect of NPWT affecting quality of life and even precluding some patients from continuing with the treatment. This literature review examines the evidence relating to pain management for patients undergoing NPWT with a view to identifying methods of administration that could minimise pain and allow more patients to benefit from the treatment. The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), British Nursing Index (BNI), Embase and Medline databases were accessed to identify relevant studies. Ten studies were found that matched the review inclusion criteria. These demonstrate some potential areas for further research but more evidence is required before any recommendations can be made.