title: Vacuum-assisted close versus conventional treatment for postlaparotomy wound dehiscence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The conventional treatment for postlaparotomy wound dehiscence usually involves surgical revision. Recently, vacuum-assisted closure has been successfully used in postlaparotomy wound dehiscence. The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical outcome of 207 patients undergoing vacuum-assisted closure therapy or conventional treatment for postlaparotomy wound dehiscence.
  
  
  METHODS
  TWO HUNDRED AND SEVEN CONSECUTIVE PATIENTS UNDERWENT TREATMENT FOR POSTLAPAROTOMY WOUND DEHISCENCE: vacuum-assisted closure therapy (January 2007 through August 2012, n = 25) or conventional treatment (January 2001 through August 2012, n = 182).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The failure rate to first-line treatment with vacuum-assisted closure and conventional treatment were 0% and 14.3%, respectively (P = 0.002). There was no statistically significant difference in the enterocutaneous fistulas and hospital stay after vacuum-assisted closure therapy or conventional treatment respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support that vacuum-assisted closure therapy is a safe and reliable option in postlaparotomy wound dehiscence with very low failure rate in surgical revision compared with conventional treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Song
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jung
keywords: Dehiscence; Vacuum-assisted closure; Wound