BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) technology has proven to be effective in the management of soft tissue loss from infections, vascular insufficiency, and traumatic disorders and may have a similar benefit in the musculoskeletal oncology patient. This study reports a single institution's experience with VAC technology in the management of radiation-associated wound complications in patients with soft tissue sarcomas. MATERIALS: Twenty-two patients treated with both surgical intervention and radiation therapy developed either superficial or deep wound complications that were managed with the VAC device. This study group was compared to a retrospectively identified comparison group of 19 patients, in which the VAC device was not used. RESULTS: Hospital stay (P < 0.025), length of overall treatment (P < 0.025), number of operative debridements (P < 0.05) and success of wound closure without the need for soft tissue transposition (P < 0.01) was found to be significantly less in the study groups as compared to those not treated with the VAC device. CONCLUSION: VAC technology appears to be safe and effective in the treatment of radiation-associated wound complications.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) technology has proven to be effective in the management of soft tissue loss from infections, vascular insufficiency, and traumatic disorders and may have a similar benefit in the musculoskeletal oncology patient. This study reports a single institution's experience with VAC technology in the management of radiation-associated wound complications in patients with soft tissue sarcomas. MATERIALS: Twenty-two patients treated with both surgical intervention and radiation therapy developed either superficial or deep wound complications that were managed with the VAC device. This study group was compared to a retrospectively identified comparison group of 19 patients, in which the VAC device was not used. RESULTS: Hospital stay (P < 0.025), length of overall treatment (P < 0.025), number of operative debridements (P < 0.05) and success of wound closure without the need for soft tissue transposition (P < 0.01) was found to be significantly less in the study groups as compared to those not treated with the VAC device. CONCLUSION: VAC technology appears to be safe and effective in the treatment of radiation-associated wound complications.
Authors: Maximilian Rudert; Cornelia Winkler; Boris Michael Holzapfel; Hans Rechl; Peter Kneschaurek; Reiner Gradinger; Michael Molls; Barbara Röper Journal: Strahlenther Onkol Date: 2010-03-26 Impact factor: 3.621
Authors: Ravish Shammi Patel; Samuel Sherng Young Wang; Miguel Rafael David Ramos; Husam Walid Naji Najjar; Samuel Vara Prasad; Naresh Kumar Journal: Int J Spine Surg Date: 2019-12-31