Recent Advances in Wound Vac Therapy

Recent Advances in Wound VAC Therapy

Introduction

Vacuum Assisted Closure or VAC therapy is a technique of negative pressure wound therapy which employs vacuum to promote healing of wounds , especially those which are large or chronic . It is an advanced wound healing therapy that came into vogue in 1995 (Thomas , 2001 . The procedure was first employed by Fleishmann et al (1993 qtd . in Thomas 2001 . With proper precautions and treatment measures , the therapy can be delivered both in hospital and community settings . This is a technology based treatment involving control by

a microprocessor unit and employment of specialized dressings . VAC therapy helps in wound management by promoting granulation tissue , improving perfusion to the wound , decreasing edema and by removing unwanted exudate and infectious material . The wound healing is enhanced by delayed primary and secondary intentions . Chronic wound fluid which inhibits cell proliferation (Bucalo et al , 1993 ) is removed by VAC therapy . Perfusion is improved by removing chronic edema . Currently , VAC therapy is used in the management of acute traumatic wounds , partial thickness burns , chronic wounds dehisced wounds , pressure ulcers , grafts , flaps and diabetic foot ulcers . Various studies have proved the efficacy of VAC therapy in the treatment of chronic and difficult wounds (Argenta and Morykwas , 2000 Joseph et al , 2000 and Blume et al , 2008 . However , the Cochrane review has a different opinion . According to Cochrane review , negative pressure wound therapy is in no way superior to other forms of wound treatment (Ubbink et al , 2008

Components and working of...