Modified NPWT using round channel drain for pacemaker pocket non-healing complex wound: a case report

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular medicine
• Wound healing
• Medical device infections

Background:

• Infection of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) is a significant clinical challenge.
• Management of infected CIED pocket wounds can lead to prolonged patient morbidity.
• Standard treatment for CIED infection involves complete device removal and antibiotics.

Observation:

• Superficial or incisional pocket infections without device involvement may not require device removal.
• A modified negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) technique using a round channel drain was applied.
• This technique was used for a pacemaker pocket non-healing complex wound that originated as a superficial incisional infection.

Findings:

• The modified NPWT technique was successfully applied to a complex pacemaker pocket wound.
• This approach addresses non-healing wounds that may arise from initial superficial infections.
• The study presents a novel method for managing specific types of CIED pocket complications.

Implications:

• This modified NPWT technique may offer an alternative to device removal in select cases of CIED pocket infection.
• It could potentially reduce treatment complexity and patient recovery time.
• Further research is warranted to evaluate the efficacy and broader applicability of this NPWT approach in managing cardiac device infections.