The use of negative pressure wound therapy: Recommendations by the Wound Healing Association of Southern Africa

Abstract

Wound healing is a complex and dynamic process, wound management is evolving, and modern wound management is a major contributor towards faster wound healing. Funding advanced technologies may reduce additional cost for frequent clinician visits and the use of more products at each visit.

Negative pressure wound therapy as a treatment modality is supported by a large body of evidence which includes RCTs, cohorts and case series, which have demonstrated the benefits of NPWT in managing both chronic and acute wounds. While there is a large body of evidence available on NPWT, even the RCTs are often considered of poor quality, but this has more to do with the known challenges of conducting trials on wound care products often due, not least of all, to the heterogenous nature of wounds and patients. This is well known but nonetheless such guidelines give greater credence where this “best available evidence” is used with clinical experience i.e., evidence-based practice.