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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · J Reconstr Microsurg Open 2024; 09(01): e64-e68
DOI: 10.1055/a-2287-6535
Case Report

Use of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Pedicled Flaps can Improve Graft Integration and Minimize Complications

Maria A. Suarez
1   Division of Hand and Microsurgery, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá. Bogotá, Colombia
2   Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
,
Luis F. Latorre
1   Division of Hand and Microsurgery, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá. Bogotá, Colombia
3   Universidad de los Andes, School of Medicine, Bogotá, Colombia
,
Jorge I. Quintero
1   Division of Hand and Microsurgery, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá. Bogotá, Colombia
3   Universidad de los Andes, School of Medicine, Bogotá, Colombia
,
Hand Microsurgery Research Group › Author Affiliations Funding The author(s) received financial support from 3M, 2021-ISR-000285 to conduct and publish this research.
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Abstract

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been used in the treatment of open fractures to improve local wound treatment, to allow skin integration when skin grafting is needed. During the last decade, the use of this device contributes to decreasing the venous congestion in microsurgical procedures in free flaps and finger replantation. The negative pressure increases the vascularization and decreases the edema, allowing the integration of tissue. Nine patients were included in this protocol. These patients had an open wound, and primary healing was not an option. Therefore, reconstructive surgery was needed. One female and eight male patients were included. Five reconstructive surgeries were performed in the lower limb and four in the upper limb due to an open fracture, skin defect secondary to infection, avulsion injury of the upper limb, and electric burn. Following the reconstructive procedure, NPWT was applied immediately peripheral to the pedicled flap. Our protocol indicates that the suction was placed for 5 days, set at continuous pressure of −100 mm Hg. At the end of the treatment, no complications were observed, and full integration of the flap was achieved. NPWT avoids local complications such as hematoma, shearing forces, and infection.

Keywords

NPWT - pedicled flaps - healing

Author's Contributions

J.I.Q. helped in conceptualization, methodology, validation, formal analysis, investigation, resources, writing—original draft, writing—review and editing, visualization, supervision. M.A.S. contributed in conceptualization, methodology, validation, formal analysis, investigation, resources, writing—original draft, writing—review and editing, visualization, supervision. L.F.L. helped in conceptualization, methodology, validation, formal analysis, investigation, resources, writing—original draft, writing—review and editing, visualization, supervision.


Informed Consent

This case series has institutional review board approval by our institution.




Publication History

Received: 18 July 2023

Accepted: 08 March 2024

Accepted Manuscript online:
14 March 2024

Article published online:
22 April 2024

© 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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