title: Negative pressure wound therapy with off-the-shelf components.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The KCI Wound VAC system (Kinetic Concepts, Inc, San Antonio, TX) for providing negative-pressure therapy for wounds is expensive and may not be available for patients without insurance. We have examined the feasibility of using off-the-shelf components to provide comparable negative pressure therapy at less cost.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adhesive iodine-impregnated drape, a flat Jackson-Pratt drain (Cardinal Health, McGaw Park, IL), and foam prep sponges stapled together are used to assemble a dressing connected to wall suction (negative 75-100 mm Hg) to create negative pressure wound therapy that is relatively inexpensive (<60 US dollars component cost).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have used this system in more than 40 cases with results that seem comparable to the commercial system and have not seen bleeding or other complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Off-the-shelf components can be safely employed to provide effective negative pressure therapy for wounds and skin grafts.
authors.affiliation: VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Department of Vascular Surgery, Long Beach, CA, USA. buitd@uci.edu
authors.forename: Trung D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huerta
authors.forename: Ian L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D011312:Pressure; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing