H O.10 V.A.C.® THERAPY IN SURGICAL WOUNDS

Abstract

Surgical wounds are a problem in bone cancer patients undergoing aggressive orthopedical surgeries, such as hemipelvectomy and hip-disarticulation, which are very aggressive to the tissues. Regarding the wound care, the development of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) has shown to have better results than the standard methods often used in wound care. V.A.C.^® Therapy removes fluids and infectious materials, helps protect the wound environment, helps promote perfusion and a moist healing environment and helps draw together wound edges. So, V.A.C.^® Therapy has shown to provide cost-effective and clinically proven wound therapy.

The aim of our study is to describe nursing care in the management of V.A.C.^® Therapy, having in mind the benefits that this therapy will bring to the patient, such as reduced complications, reduced costs and time spent on the ward, helping preparing their discharges.