title: Negative pressure wound therapy as an adjunct to compression for healing chronic venous ulcers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), when used in combination with compression bandaging, for healing chronic resistant venous ulcers.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this pilot study, seven patients (with a total of 12 chronic resistant venous ulcers) received adjunctive NPWT and compression bandaging for 4 weeks. Their wounds were monitored for a total of 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dormant ulcers were seen to rapidly develop into healthy wounds, with a granulating base.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This regimen may have a role in stimulating chronic venous ulcers into healing wounds, or in preparing them for skin grafting.
authors.affiliation: Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin, New Zealand. kieserdavid@gmail.com
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Kieser
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Roake
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006097:Granulation Tissue; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D053828:Stockings, Compression; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing