Esra Ertürk Tekin1, Mehmet Ali Yeşiltaş2, Ayhan Uysal3, İsmail Haberal4. 1. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Mersin City Training and Research Hospital, Mersin, Turkey. Email: dresraer@yahoo.com. 2. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Bakirkoy Dr Said Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. 3. Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic, Firat University Medical Faculty, Elazığ, Turkey. 4. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Institute of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
Abstract
AIM: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of vacuum-assisted closure therapy on venous stasis wound healing in patients with chronic venous leg ulcers. METHODS: Vacuum-assisted closure therapy was applied on a total of 14 venous leg ulcers. All patients had post-thrombotic syndrome. Quantitative wound culture samples were obtained before the procedure and local wound assessments were performed. The primary outcome measures included wound healing as assessed by a local wound examination during each dressing change and the rate and velocity of ulcer reduction. Wound healing was defined as the complete closure of the ulcer, while rapid wound healing was defined as a ≥ 30% reduction in the ulcer size by week four. RESULTS: No surgical debridement or surgical corrective procedure was applied in any patient. The mean length of hospital stay was 32.3 days. The mean number of vacuum-assisted closure therapies for each case was 17.8 and the mean time to dressing change was 72.3 hours. Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were detected in three and four patients, respectively. Wound culture results became negative after a mean duration of vacuum-assisted closure therapy of 12.1 days. None of the patients needed antibiotic therapy until the procedure was completed. Compared to baseline, the mean ulcer reduction rates were 46.4% for the first six applications and 72.8% for the subsequent applications. CONCLUSIONS: Our study results suggest that vacuum-assisted closure therapy promotes rapid wound healing in patients with severe post-thrombotic syndrome with venous stasis leg ulcers, and reduces the need for antibiotics by reducing the biological burden.
AIM: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of vacuum-assisted closure therapy on venous stasis wound healing in patients with chronic venous leg ulcers. METHODS: Vacuum-assisted closure therapy was applied on a total of 14 venous leg ulcers. All patients had post-thrombotic syndrome. Quantitative wound culture samples were obtained before the procedure and local wound assessments were performed. The primary outcome measures included wound healing as assessed by a local wound examination during each dressing change and the rate and velocity of ulcer reduction. Wound healing was defined as the complete closure of the ulcer, while rapid wound healing was defined as a ≥ 30% reduction in the ulcer size by week four. RESULTS: No surgical debridement or surgical corrective procedure was applied in any patient. The mean length of hospital stay was 32.3 days. The mean number of vacuum-assisted closure therapies for each case was 17.8 and the mean time to dressing change was 72.3 hours. Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were detected in three and four patients, respectively. Wound culture results became negative after a mean duration of vacuum-assisted closure therapy of 12.1 days. None of the patients needed antibiotic therapy until the procedure was completed. Compared to baseline, the mean ulcer reduction rates were 46.4% for the first six applications and 72.8% for the subsequent applications. CONCLUSIONS: Our study results suggest that vacuum-assisted closure therapy promotes rapid wound healing in patients with severe post-thrombotic syndrome with venous stasis leg ulcers, and reduces the need for antibiotics by reducing the biological burden.
Authors: Jeroen D D Vuerstaek; Tryfon Vainas; Jan Wuite; Patty Nelemans; Martino H A Neumann; Joep C J M Veraart Journal: J Vasc Surg Date: 2006-09-26 Impact factor: 4.268