Negative pressure wound therapy for closed incisions in orthopedic trauma surgery: a meta-analysis

Background: This meta-analysis was performed to determine the efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) versus conventional wound dressings for closed incisions in orthopedic trauma surgery. Methods: A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases. The outcome measures included deep surgical site infection (SSI), superficial SSI; wound dehiscence and length of hospital stay. Cochrane collaboration's tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) were used to evaluate literature qualities. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: A total of 6 studies including 2 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 4 cohort studies met our inclusion criteria. NPWT resulted in a significantly lower incidence of deep SSI, superficial SSI, and wound dehiscence than conventional wound dressings. However, no statistically significant difference was found in the length of hospital stay. Conclusions: NPWT appeared to be an efficient alternative to help prevent SSIs and wound dehiscence on closed incisions in orthopedic trauma surgery. Rational use of NWPT should be based on the presence of patient's condition and risk factors.