title: Effectiveness of negative pressure closure in the integration of split thickness skin grafts: a randomized, double-masked, controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effectiveness of the negative pressure closure (NPC) technique in the integration of split-thickness skin grafts (STSG) to the recipient site.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, double-masked, controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary burn unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between May 2003 and October 2004, 60 patients having wounds with skin loss which hindered primary closure, were incorporated to this study. We excluded patients with > or =20% of total body surface burns, polytraumatized, surgical contraindications, those who were enlisted in other clinical trials, and those who rejected the informed consent.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all the patients, surgical cleaning of the recipient site and STSG were performed after which they were randomly assigned between 2 groups: a group that received a NPC dressing and were connected to the central aspiration system at -80 mm Hg versus a control group with similar dressing but without connection to negative pressure. Loss of STSG area at the fourth postoperative day, days of hospital stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty patients were included. The median loss of the STSG in the NPC group was 0.0 cm versus 4.5 cm in the control group (P = 0.001). The median hospital stay was of 13.5 days in the NPC group versus 17 days in the control group (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of NPC significantly diminishes the loss of STSG area, as well as shortens the days of hospital stay. Therefore, it should be routinely used for these kinds of procedures.
authors.affiliation: Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit, Hospital del Trabajador de Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Llanos
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Danilla
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barraza
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Armijo
authors.forename: Jose L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Piñeros
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quintas
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Searle
authors.forename: Wilfredo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Calderon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014618:Vacuum; D014945:Wound Healing