Negative pressure wound therapy in gynecological oncology

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and surgical characteristics of patients who underwent surgery for gynecological cancer and were applied with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for wound failure that developed postoperatively, and to investigate the effect of NPWT on wound healing.
METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made of patients treated with NPWT for wound failure at a single academic institution between 2010 and 2019. Patient demographic data, pre-operative and intraoperative information, and outcomes were extracted from the registry. The primary outcome was the effect of NPWT on complete wound healing.
RESULTS: The study included 20 patients who had undergone laparotomy for a gynecological malignancy and received NPWT due to wound failure. NPWT was applied to all patients in the post-operative period, to 10 after primary surgery, and to 10 patients after secondary laparotomy. The mean time to wound failure was 25±22 days and the mean duration of vacuum therapy was 18.9±17.2 days. NPWT was used in an outpatient setting for 4 (20%) patients. Complete wound recovery was obtained in 18 (90%) patients. No complications related to the use of NPWT were observed in any patient.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In the post-operative period, NPWT can be used to accelerate wound healing and shorten the post-operative recovery time.