Journal
JOURNAL OF TRAUMA-INJURY INFECTION AND CRITICAL CARE
Volume 68, Issue 5, Pages 1247-1252Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1097/TA.0b013e3181d3cc3c
Keywords
Vacuum-assisted closure; Negative-pressure wound therapy; War; Cavitary; Infection
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Background: Deep soft-tissue defects often present in high-energy trauma and during the surgical treatment of infection. Injuries caused by high-velocity projectiles can create deep soft-tissue defects that are challenging to manage. Persistent, deep wound cavities have been associated with infection and prolonged wound healing. This article presents a technique that marries vacuum-assisted wound closure technology with traditional drains to allow for management of deep soft-tissue cavities. Methods: A deep drain was placed in the cavitary lesion with application of a negative-pressure wound therapy sponge in the standard fashion. The deep drain was brought into the sponge and fenestrated as to allow the sponge to evacuate the deep drain. Several illustrative cases are presented. Results: Conversion of deep cavitary defects to superficial defects allowed for delayed primary or secondary closure of the wound defects without the need for increasing the size of the superficial wound to facilitate drainage. Deep infection was also successfully controlled without incurring the additional surgical soft-tissue trauma typical of standard technique. Conclusions: The use of the active deep suction decreases edema and dead space, theoretically reducing the chance of infection. It also prevents premature walling off of deeper cavities, which can occur with the use of vacuum-assisted closure therapy on superficial defects. Our method of wound management allows for the reduction of the deep cavitary defects without delaying wound closure or creating more tissue damage.
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