title: Negative pressure dressing around the airway.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is an effective modality in most areas of the body and is associated with more rapid healing. However the use of negative pressure remains a challenge in managing complex wounds of the head and neck region.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We present the case of a patient with a laryngectomy stoma and an adjacent defect. This was successfully closed in ten days using a novel dressing system comprising Aekin cohesive circular dressings, a Shiley cuffed non-fenestrated size 6.0 tracheostomy tube, and a NPWT device.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Until now NPWT dressings in the head and neck region have been limited by wounds that develop around a laryngectomy stoma or tracheostomy site. We have described the successful use of a negative pressure dressing around the airway owing to the combined use of a tracheosotomy tube and the appropriate dressing.
authors.affiliation: ORL Head and Neck Surgery Department, Auckland City Hospital, Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand. jamesjordanjohnston@gmail.com.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mariano
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vokes
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008297:Male; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D054047:Surgical Stomas; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing