Treatment of chronic, nonhealing abdominal wound in a liquid environment.

A 66-year-old woman with an abdominal wound caused by infected synthetic mesh had failed to heal in spite of many surgical attempts to close the wound. A sealed transparent vinyl chamber was glued to the periphery of the wound and antibiotics in high concentrations (up to 2,500 times the minimum inhibitory concentration) were delivered through the chamber. The wound fluid in the chamber was used for analysis of microbial activity, concentration of residual antibiotics, and growth factor activity. After 10 weeks of treatment, the wound was closed and has not recurred in 24 months.