Negative pressure wound therapy in closed inguinal incisions after vascular surgery – randomized controlled trials

The commonly performed inguinal incision for vascular access in vascular surgery is associated with a high rate of incisional wound complications, particularly surgical site infections. This cause delayed discharge from hospital, re-admissions, increased antibiotic usage, affects patient quality of life and is a potential risk for limb amputation or death.

Single-use negative pressure wound therapy dressings, wound dressings which deliver a continuous suction from a battery driven pump, have in resent years emerged as a possible solution to these problems.

This thesis aims to evaluate prophylactic use of NPWT dressings on sutured inguinal incisions with randomised controlled trials regarding post-surgical incisional wound complications.