title: Extended applications of gauze-based negative pressure wound therapy in hand surgery: a review of five cases.
abstract: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is an established treatment for a wide variety of acute and chronic wounds. Although the exact mechanism of action is still undefined, the proposed benefits of NPWT have been well described in the literature and include improved wound perfusion, granulation and reduction of oedema and bacteria. Here we describe a series of five challenging cases where NPWT dressings were applied for both elective and traumatic wounds of the upper limb. We describe the application of the dressing and the benefits seen in our patients. We believe the patients would have had inferior outcomes if managed by the best alternative conventional dressings.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  All named authors hereby declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
authors.affiliation: All at Birmingham Hand Centre, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chipp
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sheena
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Titley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003646:Debridement; D004487:Edema / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000601:surgery
keywords: dressing; hand; topical negative pressure; upper limb; wound