Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation in the Treatment of Critical Wounds

Background: In recent decades, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has become the gold standard in the treatment of infected wounds. Negative pressure wound therapy with instillation (NPWTi) is a new development, that combines conventional NPWT with instillation of fluids. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to review the results of current literature on the clinical use of NPWTi in acute and chronic wounds. Material and Methods: A literature search was performed using Pubmed and the Cochrane Library, including articles in English and German. Results: The data suggest that NPWTi is a promising therapeutic option in the treatment of wounds, and applicable in various fields. Conclusions: NPWTi appears to be a useful adjunct in the treatment of critical wounds. However, data from prospective randomised trials to support the validity of the results are sparse.