Clinical resources

Adapting for positive outcomes

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been a proven therapy for decades. The entry of single use NPWT has opened treatment pathways for the effective use of NPWT for open wounds and closed surgical incisions.

Karlakki NPWT article A key window has been identified during which post-operative prophylactic treatment of surgical incisions with negative pressure wound therapy has been shown to minimize complications. Orthopaedic surgeon S. Karlakki, working with several other contributors, reviewed the literature from the past few year to discover a rapidly emerging, effective trend. Their findings were published in the Bone Joint Res 2013. Read full PDF version.
Selvaggi NPWT article The effectiveness of a sNPWT system, compared to tNPWT in the treatment of chronic ulcers of lower extremities — Kirsner et al. (2018) Multi-center, phase 4, randomized, comparative efficacy study.

A recent RCT to compare the percentage change in target ulcer dimensions (area, depth, volume) in lower extremity wounds (VLU/DFU) (www.clinicaltrials.gov) when comparing PICO NPWT to tNPWT. The exciting conclusion was, PICO demonstrated superior wound closure rates of DFUs and VLUs, combined, over 12 weeks compared to tNPWT. In the original randomized controlled trial, results were statistically significant for DFUs alone, and DFUs and VLUs combined. Consideration: filler utilization was not assessed during this study. Click on the poster to see the full details of the study. Read full PDF version.
Selvaggi NPWT article Crohn’s Disease patients present a high-risk factor for surgical site complications.  Dr. Francesco Selvaggi and colleagues compared the effects of a portable negative pressure wound therapy device, PICO, on such complications. The study concluded that in abdominal surgery for Crohn’s disease, PICO significantly reduced the incidence of seroma by 82%, and reducing post-surgical complications compared to care with standard dressings, as well as reduced length of stay, compared with standard dressings.* Read full PDF version.

*Reduction in seroma: 50 patient study. PICO 2 patients (8%); standard dressing 11 patients (44%); p<0.008. Reduction in LOS: mean PICO 2 7 days, standard dressing 12 days; p=0.0001).
Galiano Bilateral Breast Reduction Poster A prospective, randomized, comparative, open study evaluated the efficacy of the PICO System on the prevention of post-surgical incision healing complications in patients undergoing reduction mammoplasty. The study compared PICO on one breast with Steri-Strips™ on the other breast for local wound complications, scar analysis, and pain and comfort. Read full PDF version.