The use of negative-pressure therapy in the closure of complex head and neck wounds.
The evolution of wound care has seen much technological advancement over many decades. Most recently, negative-pressure therapy, by which a vacuum pressure is applied through a wound bed, has dramatically improved the surgical outcomes of complex wounds. Although initial studies focused on wounds to the abdomen, torso, and extremities, more publications are appearing that demonstrate the efficacy of negative-pressure wound therapy in the head and neck. This article reviews the history and evolution of negative-pressure therapy, highlights the current opinions on its mechanism of action, and summarizes its use in complex head and neck wounds.
Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. strub@uw.edu
Graham Michael
GM
Strub
Kristen S
KS
Moe
D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy; D014945:Wound Healing