title: Accelerated wound healing with combined NPWT and IPC: a case series.
abstract: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) and intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) have traditionally been used in patients with chronic complicated non-healing wounds. The aim of this study (retrospective case series) was to describe the use of NPWT in combination with IPC in patients with a relatively short history (2-6 months) of ulcers. All wounds showed improved healing during the treatment period with marked or moderate reduction in ulcer size, and granulation tissue formation was markedly stimulated. Oedema was markedly reduced due to IPC. Treatment was generally well tolerated. The results of this study indicate that combined NPWT and IPC can accelerate wound healing and reduce oedema, thus shortening the treatment period. Therefore, patients may have a shorter healing period and may avoid entering a chronic wound phase. However, controlled studies of longer duration are needed in order to show the long-term effect of a more accelerated treatment course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arvesen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Camilla Bak
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fogh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004487:Edema / Q000451:nursing; D005260:Female; D006097:Granulation Tissue; D006801:Humans; D048228:Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Devices; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000451:nursing; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000451:nursing*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000451:nursing*; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: NPWT; accelerated wound healing; intermittent pneumatic compression; leg ulcers