Negative pressure wound therapy in the early period after hand and forearm replantation, is it safe?

OBJECTIVE

In this study, effectiveness and reliability of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in the early period after replantation will be examined retrospectively in a series of patients.

METHOD: Patients who underwent replantation between 2007 and 2014, and had tissue defect or partial necrosis in the absence of a major circulation problem were included in this retrospective study. Following debridement of necrotic tissues on the postoperative 7-10 days, NPWT was applied to all patients one day later and adjusted as intermittent 75 mmHg pressure. Intermittent phase adjustment was arranged as 5 minutes suction and 2 minutes resting, and resting pressure was adjusted as 35 mmHg. NPWT was applied for six days and dressings were changed in every three days in the first six day period. Open wounds was debrided again and grafted with split-thickness skin graft and NPWT was continued over the graft for 4 days more.

RESULTS

There were 11 patients included of which nine amputations were complete and two were nearly total amputations of forearm. Granulation tissue was observed following 6 days of NPWT application in all patients. Graft survival was observed to be almost complete. Wound infection did not occur and tissue cultures obtained in the course of debridement were all negative. Partial oxygen saturations were between 96-99% during the NPWT.

CONCLUSION

NPWT (75 mmHg) can be used in the intermittent mode in order to improve wound healing and shorten the period to start physical therapy in the early period after replantation and revascularisation.