Sistema reproducible de presión negative controlada de bajo costo, para curación de heridas problema

Abstract

As plastic surgeons we deal frequently with the management of problem wounds. The literature describes as a therapeutic option the use of negative pressure. As a technical instrument the system called Vacuum Assisted Closure - KCI® (San Antonio, Texas, USA) is the commercially available system. The cost of this therapy is not accessible to the patients of our institution. Therefore we designed a system of controlled negative pressure for the treatment of these wounds. The system is made of a negative pressure manometer installed to a two way valve, connected in one end to the hospital wall negative pressure system and in the other end to a sterile 1/4 inch diameter tube, connected to a drain that is put over sterile towels that are placed over the problem wound area to be treated, and sealed with a sterile adhesive. With this system we treated 14 patients with different types of problem wounds, achieving clinical improvement. We also used this system to improve the survival of skin grafts placed on problem wounds.