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| =Background=
| | #REDIRECT[[Negative pressure wound therapy]] |
| * Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT), also known as a wound vac, is a technique for treating acute and chronic wounds by using a sealed wound dressing attached to a vacuum pump.
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| * The vacuum creates a negative pressure gradient that draws out fluid and increases blood flow to the area.
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| * Often applied to wounds that are expected to heal poorly, such as diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, or very large tissue defects.
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| =Contraindications=
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| * Malignancy in the wound
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| * Untreated osteomyelitis
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| * Non-enteric or unexplored fistulas
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| * Presence of an eschar
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| * Direct exposure of blood vessels, anastamoses, internal organs, or nerves.
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| =Efficacy=
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| * High quality evidence exists for improved outcomes in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.
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| * Poor quality or insufficient evidence suggests NPWT may improve treatment of bedsores, large tissue defects, or other wounds.
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| * There is little evidence to suggest an increased risk of complications, so wound vacs are often applied to many other kinds of wounds.
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| =Troubleshooting=
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| *Most ER visits regarding wound vacs will be due to "the machine beeping". This is often due to loss of negative pressure in the circuit.
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| *This can usually be fixed by re-packing the wound and placing a new occlusive dressing over it.
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| **May require special supplies not available in the ER. If that is the case, most patients can still be discharged if they have expedited follow up with a home health nurse or PCP that can provide supplies.
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