Current State of Science in Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

Significance: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) was introduced in clinical practice in the early 1990s and has become widely used to manage wounds in inpatient and outpatient care. Recent Advances: Evolutions of the initial technology include the development of new dressing interfaces and tubing configurations, the addition of instillation to improve cleansing, and various changes in design to improve portability. Research has been conducted to understand mechanisms of action and to demonstrate clinical utility. NPWT has been suggested as a valuable approach for various complex and/or nonhealing wounds, and recommendations for its use have emerged in several guidelines. Future Directions: The evidence, composed of a combination of randomized controlled trials, case series, cohort studies, real-world evidence, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and expert opinion, is heterogeneous and still building. This special mini forum issue presents the current state of the science for NPWT and new studies providing insights on some innovative ways clinicians use this technology to help improve outcomes in a variety of wound types.