Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) can be used when a wound fails to heal in a timely manner or has a large amount of exudate. It is also used often over a flap or graft to ensure a better "take" and reduce local edema and over closed incisions to ensure that edges stay closed and any edema is removed from within. Systems like the Pico negative pressure system that can accomplish this. The system consists of a unique wound dressing, suction tubing, and a vacuum pump. The dressing is sealed securely in place with an adhesive absorbent dressing over adjacent skin all around the wound. When turned on, the pump reduces air pressure beneath the dressing, drawing off exudate and reducing edema in surrounding tissue. This process reduces bacterial colonization, promotes granulation tissue development, increases the rate of cell mitosis, and spurs themigration of epithelial cells within the wound. Negative pressure wound therapy encourages healing by applying localized subatmospheric pressure at the site of the wound. This reduces edema and bacterial colonization and stimulates the formation of granulation tissue.