title: Negative pressure therapy is effective to manage a variety of wounds in infants and children.
abstract: Negative pressure therapy (NPT) has been accepted as a valuable adjunct for wound closure in adults; however, reports on its effectiveness in young children and infants, including neonates, are limited. A retrospective chart review was conducted on children treated with NPT at a single institution between January 2003 and December 2005. Wound volumetric measurements were calculated at the start and end of therapy. Sixty-eight patients with 82 wounds were identified. The mean age was 8.5 years (range 7 days-18 years). Twenty patients (29%) were 2 years of age or younger, including eight neonates. Wound types included: pressure ulcers (n=13), extremity wounds (n=18), dehisced surgical wounds (n=19), open sternal wounds (n=10), wounds with fistulas (n=3), and complex abdominal wall defects (n=6). Low suction pressures (<100 mmHg) were generally used in children younger than 4 years of age. Following NPT, 93% of wounds decreased in volume. The average wound volume decrease was 80% (p<0.01, n=56). NPT can be effectively used to manage a variety of wounds in children and neonates. No major complications were identified in our retrospective review. Prospective studies are required to better refine the use of this technology in children.
authors.affiliation: Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Shannon S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: McCord
authors.forename: Bindi J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Naik-Mathuria
authors.forename: Kathy M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Kathy M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: McLane
authors.forename: Andre N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bob Basu
authors.forename: Cara R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Downey
authors.forename: Larry H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Hollier
authors.forename: Oluyinka O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Olutoye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001458:Bandages; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011312:Pressure; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods*; D013396:Suction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014618:Vacuum; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*