Closed Incision Negative Pressure Therapy in Oncological Breast Surgery: Comparison with Standard Care Dressings

Negative pressure wound therapy was developed for treating wounds associated with unfavorable healing factors. The principles of the negative pressure wound therapy applied on clean and closed surgical incision originate the closed incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT). We evaluated the use of ciNPT in the setting of oncological breast surgery.

From January 1, 2015, to June 31, 2015, we prospectively selected 37 patients undergoing oncological breast surgery with a minimum of 4 risk factors. Seventeen patients (25 surgeries) voluntary tested ciNPT (ciNPT sample), whereas the remaining 20 (22 surgeries) chose conventional postsurgery dressing (Standard Care sample). Follow-up controls to evaluate postsurgical complications were performed on days 7, 14, 30, and 90. At 12 months, the quality of life, scar, and overall aesthetic outcomes were evaluated with specific questionnaires filled in by surgeon and patient. The Standard Care sample was investigated on risk factors associated with poor healing.

The ciNPT sample showed a significant prevalence of high risk factors, especially extensive undermining and bilateral surgeries, and a predominance of women under 65 years; only 1/25 (4%) surgical procedures was followed by complications. In the Standard Care sample, 10 of 22 surgeries (45%) were followed by complications. The difference in complication rate between the 2 samples was significant. The BIS (Body Image Scale) scores suggested that most patients were satisfied with their body image regardless of the type of dressing. All other questionnaire scores clearly vouched for a significant superiority of the ciNPT. Previous surgery ≤ 30 days emerged as the surgery-related high risk factor most frequently associated with postsurgery complications.

The results of our study support the use of ciNPT in oncological breast surgery: it showed to be a well-tolerated, adaptable, and reliable dressing capable of reducing postsurgical complications and improving scar outcomes in patients presenting with high risk factors.