Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

What is negative pressure wound therapy?

Negative pressure wound therapy is a treatment that pulls fluid and bacteria out of a wound to help it heal better. Some healthcare providers call it vacuum-assisted therapy. It works by creating suction. A provider can use this treatment to heal soft tissue on many different parts of your body.

Less fluid leads to less edema (swelling). Negative pressure wound therapy allows the wound to compress down, making it smaller. It also encourages new healthy tissue to form in a clean, moist environment.

A provider may use negative pressure wound therapy in the operating room after cleaning a wound and closing it. After that, a provider can visit your hospital room to change the dressings and ensure a tight seal on your wound. If you use this therapy at home, you can visit a clinic for dressing changes.

Negative pressure wound therapy is a very common treatment providers use for wounds. Millions of people around the world have used it since doctors invented it in the 1990s.

How does negative pressure wound therapy work?

When applying negative pressure wound therapy, a provider will:

1. Clean and dry your wound. In an operating room, this includes removing any dead or infected tissue.
2. Place a special foam pad on or in the wound and cover it with a film that lets fluid through.
3. Make an airtight seal around it with see-through tape.
4. Place and secure a suction tube on top.
5. Attach the suction tube to a canister to collect the fluid drainage.
6. Use a special pump to apply negative pressure.

A provider may also be able to put saline or antibiotics into a wound using negative pressure wound therapy.

What is an example of a negative pressure therapy device?

Negative pressure wound therapy devices have a small pump that creates negative pressure or suction. It may use electric or battery power. A provider can program the device to get the pressure setting they want. An alarm goes off if the battery is low or the suction stops working.

Providers can use some devices again and again. They use other devices for one person, disposing of the device when they’re done with it. For either type, they use new tubing and bandaging materials for each person.

Why is negative pressure wound therapy done?

Negative pressure wound therapy indications or reasons to use it include:

• You have a complex wound.
• Your wound isn’t healing or is at risk of not healing.
• Your wound is acute (recent), but your provider can’t close it because of risks like infection.
• Your wound reopened.
• Your wound is chronic (long term).
• Your provider wants to reduce fluid buildup and help your wound heal.

What are the uses of negative pressure wound therapy?

Examples of uses for negative pressure wound therapy include:

• Foot ulcers.
• Burns.
• Traumatic injuries.
• Closed surgical incisions.

When should you not use negative pressure wound therapy?

You shouldn’t use negative pressure wound therapy if you have:

• Unprotected, visible organs or blood vessels.
• Cancer.
• Dead tissue.
• Certain abnormal connections between body parts.

What are the benefits of using negative pressure wound therapy?

Negative pressure wound therapy benefits include:

• Improved healing.
• Reduced swelling (edema).
• Less inflammation.
• Better blood flow, which brings oxygen to the wound more easily.
• Fewer dressing (like foam or gauze) changes (every 48 to 72 hours).
• Device portability.
• Shorter hospital stay.

What are the side effects of negative pressure wound therapy?

Possible disadvantages of negative pressure wound therapy include:

• Bleeding.
• Pain.
• Infection.
• Foam sticking to the wound.
• Allergic reaction to materials in contact with the wound.
• Damage to the wound.
• Device failure from a low battery, blocked tube or incorrect setup.

How soon after negative pressure wound therapy will I feel better?

The speed of your recovery depends on the kind of wound you have, as well as the size. You may be surprised at how quickly negative pressure wound therapy helps your wound heal. The system creates an ideal environment for wound healing.

How can I take care of myself after negative pressure wound therapy?

Follow your provider’s instructions for taking care of yourself. They may tell you to:

• Avoid taking baths. Take sponge baths instead.
• Take medicine for pain if you need it and if your provider approves it.
• Take antibiotics if your provider prescribed them for you.

Ask your provider how soon after treatment you can return to normal activities.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

If you’re using a negative pressure wound therapy device at home, contact your provider if:

• Your wound starts to bleed.
• You have a fever or other signs of an infection.
• The seal around your wound is coming loose.
• The machine sounds different than it usually does.
• The machine’s battery is low.
• The tube has a blockage.
• The machine stops running by itself.

After treatment, you’ll need follow-up appointments with your provider. They’ll want to make sure you’re healing well and are free of infection.

Doctors vary in quality due to differences in training and experience; hospitals differ in the number of services available. The more complex your medical problem, the greater these differences in quality become and the more they matter.

Clearly, the doctor and hospital that you choose for complex, specialized medical care will have a direct impact on how well you do. To help you make this choice, please review our Miller Family Heart and Vascular Institute Outcomes.

Cleveland Clinic Heart and Vascular Institute Vascular Medicine Specialists and Surgeons

Choosing a doctor to treat your vascular disease depends on where you are in your diagnosis and treatment. The following Heart and Vascular Institute Sections and Departments treat patients with all types of vascular disease, including blood clotting disorders:

Section of Vascular Medicine: for evaluation, medical management or interventional procedures to treat vascular disease. In addition, the Non-Invasive Laboratory includes state-of-the art computerized imaging equipment to assist in diagnosing vascular disease, without added discomfort to the patient. Call Vascular Medicine Appointments, toll-free 800-223-2273, extension 44420 or request an appointment online.

Department of Vascular Surgery: surgery evaluation for surgical treatment of vascular disease, including aorta, peripheral artery, and venous disease. Call Vascular Surgery Appointments, toll-free 800-223-2273, extension 44508 or request an appointment online.

IVC Filter Retrieval Clinic - to make an appointment, call Vascular Medicine at 216.444.4420. Ask for Dr. Bartholomew in the Filter Retrieval Clinic. Your appointment will include a consultation with Dr. Bartholomew and the physicians who will perform the IVC filter retrieval procedure.

You may also use our MyConsult second opinion consultation using the Internet.

The Heart and Vascular Institute also has specialized centers and clinics to treat certain populations of patients:

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Learn more about experts who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular and arterial disease.

• See: About Us to learn more about the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute.

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