Use of Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy With Instillation and Dwell Time: An Overview

The use of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has become an established therapy for wound management. There have been many advancements in the technology of NPWT including NPWT with instillation and dwell (NPWTi-d). NPWTi-d promotes wound healing by wound cleansing, irrigation, and nonexcisional debridement. NPWTi-d has been shown in comparative clinical studies to decrease the time to definitive wound healing and length of hospitalization. NPWTi-d-using a reticulated open-cell foam dressing with through holes (ROCF-CC)-has been postulated to facilitate solubilization, detachment, and elimination of infectious materials, such as slough and thick exudate, before or after operative debridement, and in cases where surgical debridement is not an option. The authors provide an overview on the use of NPWTi-d by reviewing the components of the system, proposed mechanism of action, clinical outcomes, and current consensus guidelines for its utilization.

Automated summary

Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT), especially NPWT with instillation and dwell (NPWTi-d), has been widely adopted for wound management. NPWTi-d promotes wound healing by cleansing, irrigation, and nonexcisional debridement, shortening hospitalization periods. The use of reticulated open-cell foam dressing with through holes (ROCF-CC) in NPWTi-d is believed to play a key role in solubilizing and eliminating infectious materials.