Despite being a wound treatment method with a broad spectrum of indications, vacuum-assisted wound closure (VAWC) can be a painful treatment modality which may even result with patient unwillingness for the continuation of treatment. A prospective study was undertaken to determine the effect of regional pain blocks (RPB) for patients who wanted to abandon treatment due to pain after the first a...

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is a well-established technique for managing the open abdominal wound. The decision to intentionally leave an incision may be required in aftermath of surgery intra-abdominal sepsis or where there concern regarding compartment syndrome (ACS). Untreated ACS following elective, emergency aortic aneurysm repair (AAA) associated with mortality rates up 60% [1]...

Warfare-related torso/abdominal wounds are often unique and complex and can pose a significant reconstructive challenge. The objective of this manuscript is to report the unique and successful management of a complex warfare-related abdominal wound. A dermal regenerate template in combination with negative pressure wound therapy was used to reconstitute lateral abdominal wall integrity after ra...

BACKGROUND Incisional hernia is the most frequently seen long term complication after laparotomy causing much morbidity and even mortality. The overall incidence remains 11-20%, despite studies attempting to optimize closing techniques. Two patient groups, patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and obese patients, have a risk for incisional hernia after laparotomy of more than 30%. These patie...

Wound dehiscence is a serious postoperative complication, with an incidence of 0.5-3% after primary closure of a laparotomy incision, and represents an acute mechanical failure of wound healing. Relatively recently the concept of "intentional open abdomen" was described and both clinical entities share common pathophysiological and clinical pathways ("postoperative open abdominal wall"). Althou...

background: increasing abdominal subcutaneous tissue thickness is a risk factor for postoperative complications in obese women who underwent cesarean section (c/s). different strategies have used to decrease the wound complications. using antibacterial vicryl suture to decrease infectious complications has been studied for several years. present study assesses the effect of subcutaneous closure...

BACKGROUND To compare volume reserve capacity (VRC) and development of intra-abdominal hypertension after different in vitro temporary abdominal closure (TAC) techniques. METHODS A model of the abdomen was designed. The abdominal wall was simulated with polychloroprene, a synthetic rubber compound. A lentil-shaped defect of 150 cm(2) was cut into the anterior aspect of the abdominal wall. TAC...

BACKGROUND Management of the open abdomen is an increasingly common part of surgical practice. The purpose of this review is to examine the scientific background for the use of temporary abdominal closure (TAC) in the open abdomen as a way to modulate the local and systemic inflammatory response, with an emphasis on decompression after abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). METHODS A review of...

BACKGROUND The aim of this paper was to review the literature on vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction (VAWCM) in open abdomen therapy. It was designed as systematic review of observational studies. METHODS A Pub Med, EMBASE and Cochrane search from 2007/01-2016/07 was performed combining the Medical Subject Headings "vacuum", "mesh-mediated fascial traction", "temp...

PURPOSE Since the 1990's, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been used to treat soft tissue defects, burn wounds, and to achieve skin graft fixation. In the field of abdominal surgery, the application of NPWT is increasing in cases with an open abdominal wound requiring temporary wound closure and a second look operation. In the present study, the authors analyzed patients that underwen...