Rapid aggressive soft-tissue necrosis after beetle bite can be treated by radical necrectomy and vacuum suction-assisted closure

Topical negative-pressure wound therapy: emerging devices and techniques

Introduction: The treatment of chronic wounds constitutes a massive financial burden to society and our health-care system. Therefore, efficient wound care is of great importance to all kinds of medical fields. The implementation and modification of negative-pressure wound therapy can be seen as a major improvement in wound healing. Many different NPWT applications evolved trying to address various wound etiologies.Areas covered: This review aims to give an overview of various NPWT applications, show its effects on wound healing, and discuss future modifications.Expert opinion: NPWT as a delivery device for cold plasma, growth factors, or targeted stem cells to the wound bed and the ability to monitor the inflammatory activity, bacterial load and wound healing factors can be seen as possible future steps to individualized wound care. In addition, it requires high-quality experimental studies to develop the ideal foam in terms of microstructure, pore size, and material properties.

The efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy on chemotherapeutic extravasation ulcers: An experimental study

Context:

The extravasation of the chemotherapeutic agents is not an unusual phenomenon. Necrosis of the skin and underlying structures has been reported, depending on the cytotoxicity of the extravasating drug. Despite the presence of some antidotes, such wounds tend to enlarge with time and are likely to resist the treatment.

Aims:

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on extravasation ulcers.

Settings and Design:

Animals were separated into two groups; conventional dressing group and NPWT group.

Materials and Methods:

Extravasation necrosis was established by intradermal doxorubicin injection. Following the debridement of the necrotic areas, one group of animals was treated with the conventional dressing while NPWT was applied to the other group. The wound areas were measured, and then biopsies were taken on the 3^rd, 7^th and 14^th days after the debridement.

Statistical Analysis Used:

SPSS 11.5 for Windows was used. Two-way ANOVA test was used to compare wound areas between groups. Willcoxon sign test with Bonferroni correction was used to compare histological scores between groups. Chi-square test with Bonferroni correction was used to compare histological scores within the group between the days.

Results:

There is no significant difference in terms of inflammatory cell count, neovascularisation, granulation tissue formation between the groups. Contrary to these results wound areas at the end of the treatment were smaller in the NPWT group compared with the dressing group.

Conclusion:

There is the superiority of NPWT over conventional dressing in chemotherapeutic extravasation wounds as well as the wound area is concerned, but it is not proven histologically.

Loxoscelism and negative pressure wound therapy (vacuum-assisted closure): an experimental study

Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles) bites cause lesions ranging from chronic necrotic ulcers to acute life-threatening sepsis. Based on our experience in treating acute and chronic wounds with negative pressure, we postulated that vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) would be valuable in this application. Chester pigs were procured and injected with purified brown recluse spider venom, 1 µl of venom in two anterior sites and 0·1 µl of venom in two posterior sites on their dorsum. For each concentration of venom, treatment consisted of either VAC or dry, non adherent dressings (control group). Each day, the wounds were inspected and measured. For wounds receiving 1·0 µl of venom, the control wounds decreased in surface area to 50% of initial size after 7 days and none had healed, whereas VAC-treated wounds were less than 50% after 48 hours and completely healed and reepithelialised after 8 days. Wounds with 0·1 µl of venom had 50% reduction after 5 days with no complete healing for control wounds, and the VAC wounds were 50% after 48 hours and all had closed and reepithelialised after 5 days. Our experimental study showed an accelerated healing time in the animals treated with the VAC as compared with controls.

[The development of plastic surgery: retrospective view of 80 years of "Der Chirurg" (The Surgeon)]

The often groundbreaking developments of new methods in Plastic Surgery have been published in the journal "Der Chirurg" (The Surgeon) ever since its foundation in 1928, when it was established as a journal dealing with all aspects of surgery and containing many innovations and developments. Historically this is also reflected in the establishment of Plastic Surgery initially as a subspecialty and later on as a specialty within the German Society for Surgery. The interdisciplinary character of modern reconstructive and oncological concepts, not only with other specialties but also within various surgical specialties, raises further challenges and leads to new developments in reconstruction, which will definitely induce an increasing amount of knowledge to the advantage of our patients. Scientific and clinical advances over the last 80 years give rise to the hope that similar success will be attained for reconstruction of traumatic and oncological defects and malformations or disfigurations in the future. Consolidated findings from regenerative medicine and tissue engineering will enrich the daily practice of surgical reconstruction.

Coverage of exposed bones and joints in critically ill patients: lower extremity salvage with topical negative pressure therapy

BACKGROUND

Soft tissue defects of the limb with exposure of tendons and bones in critically ill patients usually lead to extremity amputation. A potential treatment with topical negative pressure may allow split-thickness skin grafting to the bone, which leads to limb salvage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We report on 21 multimorbid patients, 46 to 80 years of age, with severe lower limb soft tissue loss and infection with exposed bone following débridement with critical limb ischemia. Attempts to salvage the extremities were undertaken with repeated surgical débridement followed by vacuum-assisted closure therapy and subsequent split-thickness skin grafting procedures.

RESULTS

Infection control and limb salvage were achieved in all cases with multiple débridements, topical negative pressure therapy, and skin grafts. In all patients, the exposure of tendons and bones was reversible by this strategy without a free flap transfer.

DISCUSSION

The patients described in this study were severely compromised by systemic and vascular disorders, so extremity amputation had been considered owing to the overall condition and the exposure of tendons and bones. Since it was possible to salvage the affected limbs with this straightforward and simple procedure, this type of treatment should be considered as a last attempt to prevent amputation.

The effect of vacuum-assisted closure on lymph vessels in chronic wounds

INTRODUCTION

Chronic wounds come in various forms and result from a multitude of factors that play a detrimental role in the wound-healing process. A breakthrough in wound management came with the introduction of vacuum-assisted closure (VAC). Although numerous papers have been published suggesting that VAC is based upon its unique ability to accelerate the rate of granulation tissue production, enhance angiogenesis and remove excess chronic wound fluid, no attempts have been made to investigate its effect on lymph vessels.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From April 2005 to April 2006, 80 patients with chronic wounds were treated with VAC therapy and prospectively studied. The parameters included: the length of VAC treatment, the number of dressing changes, the number of days of hospitalisation and immunocytochemical lymphatic vessel density assessments.

RESULTS

Lymph vessel proliferation was noted in all types of wounds, up to the first dressing change, but as VAC therapy continued it was apparent that patients exhibiting the same type of wounds did not exhibit the same results. Additionally, the duration of VAC therapy, dressing changes and average number of days of hospitalisation were significantly less in some cases but also prolonged in others.

CONCLUSION

VAC therapy seems to be inducing morphological and quantitative alterations on the lymph vessel network in a wound. The effect of VAC therapy varies greatly depending on the presence of underlying diseases and risk factors impairing wound healing. An increase in the density of lymph vessels manifested histologically correlates with a better clinical outcome, in terms of healing rates and hospitalisation time.

Vacuum-assisted closure: state of basic research and physiologic foundation

A tremendous amount of research has been conducted in recent years investigating the mechanisms of action by which the application of subatmospheric pressure to wounds increases the rate of healing. Similarly, numerous studies have also been conducted examining the physiologic response of wounds to the applied subatmospheric pressure. However, many more need to be conducted. A series of basic studies examining the use of subatmospheric pressure to treat wounds is presented, including the original studies upon which the vacuum-assisted closure device was based (on blood flow, granulation tissue formation, bacterial clearance, and survival of random-pattern pedicle flaps). Subsequent studies analyzing removed fluids, envenomation/extravasation, burns, grafts, and in vitro tissue culture studies are also reviewed. Two broad mechanisms of action are proposed: removal of fluid and mechanical deformation. Fluid removal both decreases edema--thus decreasing interstitial pressure and shortening distances of diffusion--and removes soluble factors that may affect the healing process (both positively and negatively). The relationship of mechanical deformation to increased growth is well known to plastic surgeons, as it is the basis of tissue expansion. While much has been done, a great deal more needs to be done to elucidate the mechanisms of action responsible for the dramatic response seen clinically.

Topical negative pressure therapy: mechanisms and indications

Topical negative pressure (TNP) therapy has emerged as a high-technology, microprocessor-controlled physical wound-healing modality. Complex effects at the wound-dressing interface following application of a controlled vacuum force have been documented. These include changes on a microscopic, molecular level and on a macroscopic, tissue level: interstitial fluid flow and exudate management, oedema reduction, effects on wound perfusion, protease profiles, growth factor and cytokine expression and cellular activity, all leading to enhanced granulation tissue formation and improved wound-healing parameters. Primary indications for clinical use have been documented and include traumatic wounds, open abdominal wounds, infected sternotomy wounds, wound bed preparation, complex diabetic wounds and skin-graft fixation. Whilst this therapy now forms an essential part of the wound healing armamentarium, extensive clinical trials are recommended to confirm efficacy and delineate its optimum use.

Skin and soft tissue necrosis following hymenoptera sting

BACKGROUND

All kinds of bees, wasps, and hornets are members of the hymenoptera order. Local hypersensitivity reactions after bee stings are very common and well studied. However, tissue necroses following untreated bee stings are extremely rare and they are not well documented.

OBJECTIVE

Two extremely rare cases of extensive skin and soft tissue necrosis following hymenoptera stings are presented. Current literature and treatment options are discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

Local skin reactions following bee stings may result in severe complications such as tissue necrosis if left untreated. Skin grafting following surgical debridement is an adequate and practical treatment modality for such cases.

Topical negative pressure (TNP): the evolution of a novel wound therapy

Topical negative pressure is a novel non-pharmacological therapy that is now being adopted as a standard of care in wound care management programmes. This review assesses where and how it can be best used.