Vacuum-assisted closure therapy in the management of patients with necrotising fasciitis.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to compare vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) and conventional wound dressings in patients with necrotising fasciitis (NF).

METHOD: In this retrospective study, patients presenting with soft tissue infection and who were diagnosed with NF were enrolled, and divided into those treated with VAC therapy after the first surgical debridement (VAC group) and those patients treated with conventional dressing after surgery (non-VAC group).

RESULTS

A total of 72 patients were included (43 patients in the VAC group and 29 patients in the non-VAC group). In the VAC group, VAC dressings were changed every 3-5 days, and patients had an average of five (range: 3-8) treatment sessions with an average hospital stay of 22.3 days (range: 14-39 days). In the non-VAC group, patients had an average of nine (range: 6-14) treatment sessions with five (range: 3-8) dressing changes every day during treatment, and had longer lengths of hospital stay of 41.1 days (range: 29-84 days). When compared to the non-VAC group, patients treated with VAC had a lower mortality rate and enabled the use of a simpler method of wound reconstruction (such as direct suture or skin graft).

CONCLUSION

In this study, findings showed that VAC therapy promoted infection control, reduced daily nursing care and increased wound healing, and patients had a shorter hospital stay and lower mortality rate.