Advanced Wound Care Tips on How to Use Negative Pressure Therapy to Improve Patient Outcomes

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been indicated for use in a variety of wound types, including chronic and acute wounds, partial-thickness burns, as well as used as a bolster over flaps and grafts. NPWT applies negative pressure to the wound bed to promote granulation tissue development, draw wound edges together, and remove exudate and infectious material. Application of NPWT can oftentimes be difficult due to wound size, body contours, and external structures, such as pins and fixation. This poster will discuss techniques such as the use of seal and strip paste, along with foam layering, to help obtain a tight seal. Patient cases will depict what to do and what not to do when applying NPWT in order to improve patient outcomes.