title: Using negative pressure wound therapy on microskin autograft wounds.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microskin autografts with conventional wrap and compression are used extensively in the treatment of skin and tissue defects. This comparative study aimed at investigation of the clinical application of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in combination with microskin autografts for repair of acute and chronic wounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective case-control study was performed from December 1, 2010-December 31, 2013 in Changhai Hospital, Shanghai. We compared a study group of patients received microskin autografting covered by NPWT with that of a control group of patients received microskin autografting covered by a conventional gauze.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 81 patients were in this study, 27 patients were allocated to the study group and 54 patients to the control group. The study group exhibited significant low infection rate and pain score during removal of inner layer at first dressing change after skin grafting compared with those of the control group (P < 0.05). The time interval between skin grafting and first postoperative change was longer in the study group than that in the control group (P < 0.01), the study group showed a significant shorter 95% wound healing time (P < 0.05), and survival rate of microskin autografts in the study group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NPWT is beneficial for wound closure after microskin autografts, which prolongs the interval between skin transplantation and first postoperative dressing change, reduces pain during removal of inner layer dressing, increases skin graft survival rate, and shortens wound healing time. Therefore, NPWT can be recommended for repair of acute and chronic wounds with microskin autografts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Burn Surgery, The Second Military Medical University affiliated Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China; No.73901 Troop of PLA, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Burn Surgery, The Second Military Medical University affiliated Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Kai-Yang
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns & Plastic Surgery, 309th Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Chen
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Burn Surgery, The Second Military Medical University affiliated Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Peng-Fei
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Burn Surgery, The Second Military Medical University affiliated Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Burn Surgery, The Second Military Medical University affiliated Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: doctorzhushihui@163.com.
authors.forename: Shi-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Burn Surgery, The Second Military Medical University affiliated Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: xiazhaofan@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhao-Fan
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods
keywords: Microskin graft; NPWT; Skin defect; Skin grafting; Wound repair