A Comparison of Incisional Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy Versus Conventional Dressings Following Abdominal Surgery

A Comparison of Incisional Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy Versus Conventional Dressings Following Abdominal Surgery: A Randomized-Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study is to compare outcomes between incisional negative-pressure wound vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy versus conventional dressings following abdominal surgery.

This study will prospectively compare rates of wound complications using incisional negative pressure wound therapy versus conventional dressings following abdominal reconstruction.

Patients will undergo abdominal surgery (panniculectomy, abdominoplasty, ventral hernia repair, or autologous flap reconstruction using abdominal donor tissue). Following closure of the incision, patients will either have a gauze dressing placed over the incision (control group), or incisional vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy. The dressing will be removed over a time period of 2 to 5 days after surgery. The gauze dressing will be removed at 2 days and the wound VAC will be removed at 5 days. After this time, the wound will be assessed for signs of infection, seroma, hematoma, skin and fat necrosis, skin dehiscence, and hernia during the follow-up appointments.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients included in this study are patients undergoing abdominal reconstruction, which includes panniculectomy, abdominoplasty, ventral hernia repair and patients undergoing autologous flap reconstruction using abdominal donor tissue.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients will be excluded from study if they have an actively infected wound involving the incision, abdominal malignancy, a history of enteric fistula formation, or a bleeding disorder.