Vacuum sealing: indication, technique, and results

TLDR

Vacuum sealing is a new therapeutic concept aimed at secure and rapid wound healing in traumatic soft‑tissue damage, including open and closed fractures, acute wounds, and as an intermediate measure for chronic infections. The technique fills the defect with open‑porous polyvinyl alcohol foam, covers it with a semipermeable polyurethane drape, and applies an 80‑kPa vacuum via Redon drainage tubes and bottles, having been performed on 181 patients between January 1992 and August 1993. The vacuum sealing evacuates fluids and creates high pressure at the foam–wound interface without compressing deeper layers, promoting rapid granulation tissue formation and, in a follow‑up of 121 patients, demonstrating benefit for soft‑tissue defect treatment.

Abstract

Vacuum sealing is a new therapeutic concept to achieve secure and rapid wound healing in traumatic soft tissue damage (incl.open and closed fractures), in acute and, as an intermediate measure, in chronic infections. The tissue defect is filled in with open-porous polyvinylalcohol-foam and the entire wound surface is covered with a semipermeable transparent Polyurethane drape. Using Redon-drainage tubes and vacuum bottles, a vacuum of 80 kPa is established in the entire wound. This results in a complete evacuation of fluids and a high pressure in the interface between the foam and the wound surface without compression of deeper wound layers. The therapeutic benefit lies in the rapid formation of sound granulation tissue. Between January 1992 and August 1993, 181 patients had undergone a vacuum sealing procedure. 121 patients were followed up, underlining the benefit of vacuum sealing for the treatment of soft tissue defects.