title: Application of the Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Device (PICO) on a Heterogeneous Group of Surgical and Traumatic Wounds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Traumatic wounds and surgery inherently have their complications. Localized infections, wound dehiscence, and excessive wound leakage can be devastating to the patient with a prolonged recovery, but it is also costly to the hospital with an increased length of stay, extra workload, and dressing changes. The single use PICO (Smith and Nephew Healthcare, Hull, United Kingdom) negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) dressing has revolutionized our management of various acute, chronic, and high output wounds. It requires fewer dressing changes than conventional practice, is used in the outpatient setting, and is a necessary adjuvant therapy to hasten wound healing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To observe the efficacy of the PICO vacuum-assisted healing within a cost improvement programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plastic surgery department, Royal London Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients with a diversity of postoperative or posttraumatic wounds were considered suitable for PICO application and treated totally on an outpatient basis once the PICO dressing was applied. All wounds were then subjected to continued PICO dressings until healed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients tolerated the PICO well with no dressing failure or failure to comply. The number of dressings per patient ranged from 1 to 7. The cost per patient of treatment ranged from £120 to £1578. Estimated cost of all PICO dressing for 21 patients including plastic surgery dressing clinic appointments = £13,345. Median length of treatment to healing (days) = 16; standard deviation = 9.5. Eight patients would have had an inpatient bed stay with conventional therapy, total 24 bed days saved at Bartshealth @£325 per day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The outpatient application of a disposable NPWT can benefit a wide range of clinical wounds that optimizes patient care, promotes rapid wound healing, and importantly helps manage costs.
authors.affiliation: The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.affiliation: The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust.
authors.forename: Daren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Edwards
keywords: early patient discharge; negative pressure wound dressing; plastic surgery; single use device; wound management