Outcomes of Prophylactic Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Multiligament Knee Reconstruction

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has shown promise in reducing postoperative complications in several applications in orthopedic surgery, including trauma and arthroplasty. To the authors' knowledge, no study has evaluated its use in multiligament knee reconstruction. Multiligament knee reconstruction is often fraught with arthrofibrosis and wound-healing complications. This retrospective study assessed complications requiring reoperation in patients who underwent multiligament knee reconstruction and received either NPWT (n=14) or a dry sterile dressing (DSD) (n=44). There were significantly more reoperations in the cohort of patients who received a DSD (P=.011). Arthrofibrosis in particular showed a significantly lower rate of occurrence in the NPWT cohort compared with the DSD cohort (P=.025). There was a trend toward a lower infection rate in the NPWT cohort (P=.322). This study provides evidence that NPWT may be effective in reducing reoperation after multiligament knee reconstruction. Further investigations with prospective studies are needed to draw stronger conclusions about the benefits of NPWT. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(3):187-191.].