Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2025
Development of a Benchtop Model for Evaluating the Compatibility of Wound Dressing Materials with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Systems
Published on: May 2, 2025
In vitro evaluation of a hybrid negative pressure system for wound therapy
Jack S Davey1,2, Wye Li Chong1, Jake Fountain2
1Animal Referral Hospital Canberra, Pialligo, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to assess whether negative pressure could be maintained accurately and repeatably with a wall-suction-based hybrid negative pressure wound therapy (h-NPWT) system by comparing it with a commercial negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) device.
Study Design:
In vitro experimental study.
Methods:
A commercial NPWT device (control) and three h-NPWT devices, with 0, 3, and 6 meters of additional tubing using the hospital-wall suction (groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively), were applied sequentially to a commercial NPWT dressing on a silicone skin substrate and set to run at a continuous pressure of -125 mmHg. The pressure within the wound space was monitored at 10 second intervals for 24 h. The process was repeated five times for each group.
Results:
The commercial NPWT device produced an average pressure variance of 3.02 mmHg, and the h-NPWT produced average variances of 4.38, 4.24 and 4.20 mmHg for groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. All groups produced an average pressure within 0.15 mmHg of -125 mmHg over the 24-hour period, and the h-NPWT systems produced the smallest range with all values remaining within a ±5% variation from -125 mmHg.
Conclusion:
The h-NPWT system achieved negative pressures that were comparable to those of a commercial control NPWT device. The addition of tubing between the skin substrate and the canister did not affect the pressure applied at the wound site.
Clinical Significance:
The h-NPWT device tested in this study can be considered as an alternative for negative wound therapy when a commercial device cannot be used.
