Application of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Total Ankle Replacement

The efficacy and safety of incisional negative pressure wound therapy (iNPWT) was evaluated following total ankle replacement. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients who underwent total ankle replacement between January 2010 and June 2018. Following joint replacement, the patients received iNPWT (iNPWT group) or sterile dressings (Control group). Infection rate, wound complication incidence, length of stay, visual analogue scale, American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, and short-form 36 scales, and ankle range of motion were assessed 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively. Thirty-four patients (n = 13 iNPWT and n = 21 Control) were included. No significant differences were found in baseline data. During follow-up, one Control patient developed a superficial infection at the incision. Wound complications developed in 4 Control patients and 1 iNPWT patient; although this was not statistically significant. Length of stay was similar between the 2 groups. Two weeks after surgery, the range of visual analogue scale (2.1 vs 1.4), American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (13.7 vs 9.7), and short-form 36 scale (9.0 vs 6.5) improvement, and increase of ankle range of motion (9.2 vs 6.1) was significantly larger in the study group than in the control group (p < .05). Three months to 1 year after the surgery, this difference was no longer statistically significant. The application of iNPWT following total ankle arthroplasty helped reduce postoperative pain, improve ankle function, and improve patient quality of life. However, these benefits were no longer statistically significant 3 months to 1 year after surgery.