title: Can vacuum-assisted closure and instillation therapy (VAC-Instill therapy) play a role in the treatment of the infected open abdomen?
abstract: Severe superimposed infection during open abdomen treatment with development of intra-abdominal sepsis is a challenging complication associated with high mortality rates. We report our experience with VAC-Instill therapy (KCI, San Antonio, USA) used for treatment of an infected open abdomen following pancreatic surgery. A literature search revealed no analogous case reports using VAC-Instill therapy for treatment of an infected laparostomy. The encouraging result of the case presented seems to indicate that VAC-Instill therapy could be used as adjunctive treatment in the management of the infected open abdomen when traditional therapy fails to control the infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. mathieudhondt2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Hondt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Haeninck
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dedrye
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Penninckx
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aerts
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D058107:Abdominal Wound Closure Techniques; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000628:therapy*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods*; D014618:Vacuum
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D008795:Metronidazole