How does negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) compare with other treatments for acute surgical wounds?

Abstract

Evidence-Based Answer There is no difference in surgical site infection and wound dehiscence between NPWT and standard therapy for general surgical purposes. NPWT may be associated with lower rates of reoperation when used after skin graft procedures. In some situations, NPWT may also be associated with a higher rate of fracture blisters (blisters occurring in poorly vascularized skin above a fracture) compared with standard therapy (SOR: B, systematic review of RCTs). After cesarean section with high-risk wounds, NPWT is associated with lower rates of surgical site infection but not wound separation (SOR: B, historically controlled cohort).