Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 5, 2026
Author Spotlight: A Multi-Depth Porcine Model for Comprehensive Study of Burn Injuries and Healing Processes
Published on: February 23, 2024
[Preliminary effect observation on the application of micro-negative pressure in children with small-area deep
Insights
Micro-negative pressure therapy significantly improves wound healing in children with deep partial-thickness burns compared to conventional methods. This treatment enhances healing rates, reduces infection, and leads to better long-term scar quality.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Burn Surgery
- Wound Healing
- Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
Background:
- Small-area deep partial-thickness burns in children present unique challenges for wound management and healing.
- Conventional treatments may not always optimize healing rates, infection control, and scar outcomes.
- Micro-negative pressure (MNP) therapy is an emerging technique for wound management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the preliminary effects of micro-negative pressure (MNP) application in pediatric patients with small-area deep partial-thickness burns.
- To compare MNP therapy with conventional silver sulfadiazine cream treatment in terms of wound healing, infection rates, and scar formation.
Main Methods:
- A prospective randomized controlled study involving 64 children with small-area deep partial-thickness burns.
- Patients were divided into two groups: MNP group (treated with micro-negative pressure) and conventional group (treated with silver sulfadiazine cream).
- Wound healing rate, bacterial infection rate, surgical skin grafting rate, healing time, and scar formation (Vancouver Scar Scale) were assessed.
Main Results:
- The MNP group showed significantly higher wound healing rates on post-injury days 14 and 21 compared to the conventional group.
- The MNP group had significantly lower positive detection rates of wound bacteria and a lower rate of surgical skin grafting.
- Complete wound healing time was significantly shorter in the MNP group, and Vancouver Scar Scale scores were significantly lower at 3, 6, and 12 months post-healing.
Conclusions:
- Micro-negative pressure therapy is effective in improving wound healing rates and quality in children with small-area deep partial-thickness burns.
- MNP therapy significantly reduces wound infection rates and the need for surgical skin grafting.
- This approach leads to faster wound healing and superior long-term scar outcomes compared to conventional treatments.
Abstract:
Objective: To preliminarily observe the effects of application of micro-negative pressure in children with small-area deep partial-thickness burn. Methods: From January 2016 to August 2018, 64 children with small-area deep partial-thickness burn who were admitted to the Department of Burn Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University were recruited in this prospective randomized controlled study. According to the random number table, they were divided into negative pressure group [18 boys and 14 girls, aged (3.9±1.6) years with total burn area of (5.5±2.2)% total body surface area (TBSA)] and conventional group [20 boys and 12 girls, aged (3.8±1.7) years with total burn area of (5.8±1.6)% TBSA], with 32 patients in each group. After admission, simple debridement was performed in the patients of 2 groups. After that, the children in negative pressure group were treated with micro-negative pressure with negative pressure material replaced every 3 to 5 days. Children in conventional group were treated with silver sulfadiazine cream with dressing change every other day. On post injury day (PID) 14 and 21, general wound observation was performed, the wound healing rate was calculated, the exudates from the wounds were cultured and the positive detection rate was calculated. The number of patients requiring surgical skin grafting was recorded and the rate of surgical skin grafting was calculated, and the complete wound healing time was recorded in the patients of 2 groups. Scar formation was evaluated by the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) in 3, 6, and 12 months after wound healing. Data were processed with chi-square test, t test, Bonferroni correction, and analysis of variance for repeated measurement. Results: (1) On PID 14, all the necrotic tissue in the wounds of patients in negative pressure group was removed, with few exudates, and most of the wounds had been epithelialized; most of necrotic tissue in the wounds of patients in conventional group was removed, with more exudates and smaller wound healing area than those in negative pressure group. On PID 21, most of the wounds of patients in negative pressure group were healed, and the exudates were rare, while the wound healing area of patients in conventional group was significantly smaller than that in negative pressure group with more exudates. (2) On PID 14 and 21, the wound healing rates [(49.8±3.3)% and (95.8±2.4)%] of patients in negative pressure group were significantly higher than those in conventional group [(40.0±3.2)% and (75.3±2.5)%, t=11.899, 33.461, P<0.01]. (3) On PID 14 and 21, the positive detection rates of wound bacteria of patients in negative pressure group were significantly lower than those in conventional group (χ(2)=6.275, 5.741, P<0.05). (4) The rate of surgical skin grafting of patients in negative pressure group was significantly lower than that in conventional group (χ(2)=5.333, P<0.05). (5) The complete wound healing time of patients in negative pressure group [(23.9±2.3) d] was significantly shorter than that in conventional group [(27.9±1.8) d, t=-7.806, P<0.01]. (6) In 3, 6, and 12 months after wound healing, the VSS scores [(6.9±1.8), (5.6±1.4), (3.4±1.5) points] of patients in negative pressure group were significantly lower than those in conventional group [(9.0±1.5), (7.4±2.0), (5.7±1.6) points, t=-4.987, -4.127, -5.988, P<0.01]. Conclusions: In comparison with routine dressing change, the treatment of application of micro-negative pressure in children with small-area deep partial-thickness burn can significantly improve the wound healing rate and rate of surgical skin grafting, decrease the wound infection rate, shorten the wound healing time, and improve the wound healing quality.
