Negative pressure therapy vs. moist wound healing in chronic wounds: A systematic review

Abstract

Background: Wound healing is a complex process which results in the demand for repair and restoration of the functionality of the tissues. The failure of this process presents as a challenge raising the need to search for new techniques to treat the wound. Methods: We conducted a systematic review through several databases and repositories, using the MeSH terms: "negative pressure/NPWT/vacuum assisted closure/VAC/VAC therapy/wound healing/chronic wounds/moist wound healing”. The selection criteria were based on relevance, methodology and current level of evidence. Results: The study provides a quantitative comparison of negative pressure wound therapy and moist wound healing in chronic wounds, using data about the healing time and variations in the dimension of wounds. Discussion: Data analysis indicates the negative pressure therapy as the most effective in reducing the size of the wound, thus allowing shorter total healing as compared with moist wound healing. Conclusion: There is evidence supporting negative pressure wound therapy’s efficacy but it is important to carry out further experimental studies for evaluating the effectiveness of its wider implementation.