Introduction
Pressure ulcers (
PUs) are a major health problem for bedridden patients or persons with reduced mobility; individuals with
spinal cord injury (SCI) are more prone to developing
pressure ulcers. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a novel
negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) system for the treatment of Grade IV
PUs. Methods A total of 34 SCI patients with Grade IV PUs were divided into two groups: 17 cases were managed by our bellows-powered negative pressure device (
NPD) and 17 received wet-to-moist gauze dressing as standard
wound care. Results Wound healing outcome measures were recorded every week (at seven days) and compared at weeks 3, 6, and 9. There were no significant changes in the length and width of
PUs between the groups till week 3. Significantly reduced length and width of
NPD-treated
PUs were found at week 6 (p=0.04) that further reduced at week 9 (p=0.001) as compared to standard
wound care. Similarly, significant reduction in the depth of
PUs was found in the
NPD-treated group at week 9 (p<0.05). Exudate levels were significantly (p=0.001) lower in the
NPD-treated group as compared to the standard
wound care group from week 3 (2.96±0.21 vs 2.62±0.49); this difference continued through week 9 (1.35±0.75 vs 0.14±0.35). Disappearance of slough and formation of healthy granulation tissue was significantly higher in the
NPD-treated
PUs after week 6 (p=0.001). Conclusion NPWT may be the future of wound healing. As an alternative to the existing electrically powered NPWT systems, our NPD is safe, easy to apply, and efficacious in treating the
PUs.