title: Vacuum-assisted wound closure following urine-induced skin and thigh muscle necrosis in a cat.
abstract: Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) is a relatively new technique for wound management in dogs and cats. It was successfully used in this cat to treat severe urine-induced skin and thigh muscle necrosis, resulting from a traumatic urethral rupture. No complications were encountered with application of the VAC technique and production of a healthy granulation bed, suitable for wound reconstruction, was achieved after only five days of VAC treatment. The marked wound contraction (40.3%) obtained after eight days of treatment, was sufficient to allow closure of the defect using a simple, rotational subdermal plexus flap. This was a safe, effective and efficient treatment for a challenging wound in a difficult anatomical location.
authors.affiliation: Division of Companion Animal Science, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, England. lo247@cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hotston-Moore
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Holt
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014521:Urethra / Q000293:injuries*; D014945:Wound Healing; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000662:veterinary