Research In Brief

Negative pressure wound therapy: Data presented by Smith & Nephew Oct. 23 at the Annual Clinical Symposium on Advances in Skin and Wound Care show that gauze-based negative pressure wound therapy significantly reduced wound dimensions in a prospective, multi-center clinical evaluation of 131 non-grafted patients. The weekly reduction rates in wound area, depth and volume were 8.3%, 15.8% and 20.5%, respectively, Smith & Nephew said. There also was a significant reduction in wound exudate levels from baseline to treatment discontinuation, and a significant increase in the percentage area of the wound bed composed of red granulation tissue over the course of treatment. In a subset analysis of 23 patients with split-thickness skin grafts (STSG) treated with NPWT, the average graft "take" was 83%, including an average take of 50% for diabetics and 95% for non-diabetics. Smith & Nephew markets the Renasys line of NPWT devices