title: Negative-pressure wound therapy: systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT), a wound is covered with an airtight dressing, and negative pressure is applied. This is thought to promote healing. We evaluated NPWT with an updated, systematic review of the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  We systematically searched the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases for randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) of NPWT for the treatment of acute or chronic wounds. The primary outcome was complete wound closure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found reports of 9 RCTs in addition to the 12 covered by earlier IQWiG reviews of this topic. Five of the 9 new trials involved NPWT systems that are not on the market. The frequency of complete wound closure is stated in only 5 of the 9 new reports; a statistically significant effect in favor of NPWT was found in only two trials.The results of 8 of the 9 new trials are hard to interpret, both because of apparent bias and because diverse types of wounds were treated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there may be a positive effect of NPWT, we did not find clear evidence that wounds heal any better or worse with NPWT than with conventional treatment. Good RCTs are still needed to evaluate NPWT.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesundheitswesen (IQWiG), Köln. frank.peinemann@iqwig.de
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peinemann
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sauerland
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D006801:Humans; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology