Aim. Fracture-related infection (FRI) is one of the most serious complications in orthopedic trauma surgery [1]. The role of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) remains controversial in the management pathway of FRI [2]. Currently, as scientific evidence is lacking, most recommendations for NPWT with respect to the treatment of FRI are based on expert opinion [3]. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of NPWT and its duration on recurrence of infection in operatively treated FRI patients. Methods. This is a retrospective cohort study based on the FRI database of three Level 1 Trauma Centres. To be included, patients had to be at least 16 years of age and needed to be surgically treated for FRI between January 1. st. 2015 and September 1. st. 2020. Included patients were subdivided in either the NPWT group, or in the control group, when no NPWT had been applied. To avoid confounding, patients were excluded if they (also) underwent NPWT prior to the FRI diagnosis. The relation between the duration of NPWT during FRI treatment and the recurrence rate of infection was analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results. 99 patients were included in the NPWT group with a mean age of 51.4 ± 17.0 years. Most patients were male (n = 66). Tibia/fibula was the most common FRI location (n = 68). The median duration of NPWT was 18.0 (IQR 15.8) days. Overall, 28 patients (28.3%) developed a recurrent FRI. In the control group (n = 164), 19 patients (11.6%) developed a recurrent FRI (p = 0.001, 95% CI [0.174 – 0.635]). There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the recurrence and non-recurrence category in NPWT group. The duration of NPWT was associated with a higher risk of re-infections (p = 0.013, OR 1.036, 95% CI [1.008 – 1.066]). Conclusion. The application of NPWT is associated with a two-and-a-half-fold increased risk of recurrence in patients with soft tissue defects due to FRI. Also, the duration of NWPT is an independent risk factor for recurrence. Therefore, NPWT should be used with caution in the treatment of orthopedic trauma patients with FRI. It is advised to consider its use only as a short-term necessity to bridge the period until definitive wound closure can be established and to keep this interval as short as possible

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is commonly used to manage severe open fracture wounds. The recently completed X randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the effect of NPWT versus standard wound management on 12-month disability and rate of deep infection among patients with severe open fractures of the lower limb and reported no differences. Using data from the Y trial of open fracture patients, we aimed to evaluate the impact of NPWT on the odds of having deep infections and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Our analyses included participants from the Y trial who had Gustilo II and III lower extremity fractures. To adjust for the influence of injury characteristics on type of dressing received, a propensity score was developed from the dataset. A one-to-one matching algorithm was then used to pair patients with a similar propensity for NPWT. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between type of wound dressing and development of a deep infection requiring operative management (dependent variable) in the matched cohort. Gustilo type, irrigation solution, fracture location, mechanism of injury, and degree of contamination were included as adjustment variables. To determine any differences in HRQL between the NPWT and standard wound dressing groups, we conducted two multi-level models with three levels (centre, patient, and time) and included Short Form-12 (SF-12) Physical Health Component (PCS) and SF-12 Mental Health Component (MCS) as dependent variables. Gustilo type, irrigation solution, fracture location, mechanism of injury, degree of contamination, and pre-injury SF-12 scores were included as adjustment variables. All tests were 2-tailed with alpha=0.05. After applying propensity score-matching to adjust for the influence of injury characteristics on type of dressing used, there were 270 matched pairs of patients available for comparison. The odds of developing a deep infection requiring operative management within 12 months of initial surgery was 4.22 times higher in patients who received NPWT compared to those who did not receive NPWT (Odds Ratio (OR) 4.22, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 2.26–7.87. 1,329 participants were included in our HRQL analysis and those treated with NPWT had significantly lower SF-12 PCS at all follow-up visits (6w, 3m, 6m, 12m) post fracture (p=0.01). Participants treated with NPWT had significantly lower SF-12 MCS at 6-weeks post-fracture (p=0.03). Unlike the X trial, our analysis found that patients treated with NPWT had higher odds of developing a deep infection requiring operative management and that being treated with NPWT was associated with lower physical quality of life in the 12 months post-fracture. While there may have been other potential adjustment variables not controlled for in this analysis, our results suggest that the use of this treatment should be re-evaluated

Aim. Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is often propagated as treatment option for fracture-related infection (FRI). After surgical debridement and repeated NPWT dressing changes, the wounds are often closed by free flaps. Sometimes even healing by secondary intention seems an alternative. Recently, concerns have been raised on the long-term use of NPWT as it could be related to bacterial overgrowth and possible re-infection. The purpose of this study was to conduct a retrospective evaluation of the influence of long-term NPWT on tissue culture results and outcome in FRI patients. Method. Between January 1. st. , 2015 and December 31st, 2018, a total of 852 patients were treated with NPWT for different indications on the Department of Trauma Surgery. Inclusion criteria for this study were patients with a closed fracture, stabilized with osteosynthetic fixation and complicated with a confirmed FRI according to the FRI consensus definition. Patients were included when they received at least three NPWT dressing changes in the operating room. Exclusion criteria were patients younger than 18 years, or the absence of cultures results from dressing changes. Results. During the study period 23 patients met the inclusion criteria. According to the tripartite classification of Willenegger and Roth, one patient had an early, 14 a delayed and 8 patients a late onset FRI. Overall, 139 NPWT dressing applications were performed, with an average amount of six per patient. In 14 patients (61%) and 57 dressing changes (41%), at least 2 tissue cultures showed the same pathogen or at least one, in case of highly virulent organisms (e.g. S. aureus) during a single dressing exchange. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were present in 33% of the cases, followed by Enterococcus spp. (21%), S. aureus (16%), non-fermentative gram negative bacilli (14%) and Enterobacteriaceae (7%). Furthermore, 17 exchanges showed polymicrobial growth. Five patients had repeatedly significant growth of the same pathogen despite adequate antimicrobial therapy, within this group one patient was immunocompromised. Conclusions. In a large amount of patients (61%), a significant number of positive culture results could be acquired, even in the presence of adequate local and systemic antimicrobial therapy. The clinical relevance of these results remains unclear. This said, it seems important to limit the duration of NPWT as prolonged treatment could increase bacterial overgrowth and possible (re-)infection. Therefore, a rapid definitive soft tissue coverage should be encouraged. Future larger prospective clinical trials are required

Since its approval by the FDA two decades ago, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) has become a valuable asset in the management of open fractures with significant soft tissue damage as those seen in high velocity gunshot injuries. These lesions are often associated with grossly contaminated wounds and require a prompt and effective approach. Wound dehiscence and surgical site infection are two of the most common post-operative complications, with poor results when treated with standard gauze dresses. NPTW comes as a legitimate resource promoting secondary intention healing through increased granulation and improved tissue perfusion, as well as continuous local wound drainage preventing bacterial growth and further infection. Recent evidence-based guidelines are still limited for use of NPWT in the treatment of Gustilo-Anderson type IIIB open fractures and there are few cases in literature reporting the management of upper extremity injuries. We present and discuss a successful case of a type IIIB open humeral fracture wound treated with NPWT. A 38-years-old male was admitted to the Emergency Room with a type IIIB open humeral fracture as a result of a gunshot with extensive soft tissue damage. IV antibiotic therapy was promptly started followed by surgical stabilization by intramedullary nailing with primary wound closure. The patient presented an early surgical site infection with wound dehiscence requiring secondary debridement with poor subsequent healing and deficient soft tissue coverage. After ineffective 28 days of standard gauze dresses we started NPWT. NPTW was applied using foam coverage over the dehiscence area with visible results after 13 days and complete granulation of the skin defect by the 28th day. The wound healed completely after 14 weeks of NPWT. The fracture evolved into a painless pseudarthrosis revealing an excellent functional recovery and an acceptable aesthetic result. NPTW is a valuable, effective, and well tolerated resource in the treatment of open fractures with extensive soft tissue damage such as Gustilo-Anderson type IIIB fractures. It should be considered not just as a salvage procedure but as well as a primary option especially in grossly contaminated wounds. No benefits in any form have been received from a commercial party

Aim. Negative pressure wound treatment (NPWT) has been widely adopted in the management of septic wound complications or prophylactically after large surgeries. Recent publications have indicated the necessity of further investigations to support the use of NPWT with more evidences. Therefore, the purpose of this pilot-study was to investigate the efficacy of VAC-assisted dressing systems in the treatment of septic trauma cases. Method. We analysed data of 16 retrospective cases following traumas and septic soft tissue surgeries around the hip and knee. The collected data consisted of bacterial cultures, inflammatory markers (WBC, CRP/HCRP) and body temperature, taken periodically during treatment. Also recorded were the time periods the vacuum pump was used during treatment. To increase the number of measurements and to facilitate subsequent data analysis, the measurements were interpolated to regularly sampled curves with a sampling rate of one day. We used cross-plots and linear regression analysis to investigate trends in the data: 1) while the vacuum pump was switched on and 2) while it was switched off. Results. The analysis shows that the average WBC and CRP/HCRP values decline in the first days after initiation of the VAC treatment. WBC values decline in the first four days of VAC treatment (linear regression, R. 2. =0.960). CRP/HCRP values decline in the first thirteen days (linear regression, R. 2. =0.952). No meaningful trends were observed in body temperature measurements. Importantly, there is a trend for an increase of WBC and CRP/HCRP, following the 4. th. and 14. th. days, respectively. These findings suggest that the prolonged use of VAC treatment may result in secondary relapses. Conclusions. Our results indicate a marked decrease of inflammatory markers during the first two weeks, confirming the efficacy of NPWT in the management of septic wounds after traumas. Importantly, our analyses also show a periodic relapse with the prolonged use of NPWT. However, further studies are needed with a larger, standardized population to confirm these findings

To evaluate the effectiveness of various tactics in treating septic complications following large joint replacement. Analysis of the outcomes of treatment 171 patients with SC following LJR from 2010 to 2014. Primary operations performed in 33 different hospitals; the time elapsed before complications from the date of primary intervention – from 3 days to 17 years. Depending on the type of complications, all patients were divided into 2 groups: those with superficial surgical site infections (SSSI) and deep surgical site infections (DSSI) associated with a prosthesis. In the treatment of these patients we followed different tactics using method of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), the antibiotic impregnated collagen sponge (AICS*) and antibacterial cement spacers (ACS). We obtained the results allowing to assess the impact of these methods on the effectiveness of treatment, recurrence rate and mortality in patients of different groups. By combining different methods were able to reduce the number of relapses from 20% to 0% in patients with SSSI and significantly improve treatment outcomes in patients with DSSI. This analysis helped us to determine the most appropriate tactics of treatment depending on the type of complications. The obtained results indicate the prospects of using NPWT, the AICS and ACS in the treatment of septic complications following large joint replacement and the role of these methods in the reduction of recurrence and mortality rates. Selection of the optimal tactics will significantly reduce the number of unsatisfactory results of treatment in these patients

Necrotising fasciitis (NF) of the extremities is a rapidly progressive, potentially life threatening soft tissue infection. Recent advances in its management, like hidrobisturi-assisted debridement (Versajet®), negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), or Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) have not clearly influenced in mortality and morbidity rates, still high. We therefore sought to study the necrotising fasciitis of the extremities diagnosed in the last four year in our hospital. We investigate (1) the morbidity and mortality rates, (2) the microbiologic characteristics of the infection, and (4) the management focusing on the use of new treatment technologies. This is a 4-year retrospective chart review of all NF of the extremities who presented in our hospital, from 2010 through 2013. We collected data on demographics, comorbidities, diagnostic test, LRINEC score and microbiological information. We evaluated the therapeutic management of these patients, focusing in the intensive care necessities, the use of hidrobisturi and NPWT as well the treatment with IVIG. 20 patients satisfied our inclusion criteria. Lower extremity was the most common location of infection (60%). Blood cultures were available in 14 cases, 7 with a negative culture result (50%). The average LRINEC score on the day of presentation was 6 (range: 0–11). All the patients were treated operatively with 2.5 interventions on average (range: 1 to 5 operations). In the operative samples, one or more causative microorganisms were identified in 18/20 (90%) of the NF cases, with two culture negative cases. Overall, type II NF (Group A β-haemolytic streptococci) was found in 11 cases (55%) and Type I (synergistic polymicrobial) in 7 cases (35%). Versajet® was used in the first debridement in 40% (8 out 20) of the cases and in the second-look in 80% of the cases. In 5 cases (25%) a direct wound closure was selected and in 75% cases a VAC closure was the technique of choice. Thirteen patients (65%) were admitted in the intensive care unit, with a medium stay of 12 days. The overall mortality was 30 % with LRINEC score, glucose level and creatinin level being an independent risk factor of death (p < .05). Five amputations were identified in this series (25%). According our data, despite surgical advances, pharmacological new drugs and intensive care improvements, NF remains a disease with high mortality and morbidity. New technologies have been used widely in the last four years in our center without appearing to influence the final outcome of the disease