ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the outcome of home-made negative pressure dressings in acute complex wounds of the lower extremity in terms of healing
Study design: Descriptive case study
Place and Duration of study: Department of Orthopaedics and Spine Surgery, Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital Lahore, from September 2012 to February 2013
Methodology: Patients with soft tissue defects of lower extremity were included. Preoperative size of the wound with Gustilo type IIIA and IIIB was measured and negative pressure dressings were applied. Each dressing was applied for 72 hours. Outcome of the wound was assessed on 9th day after 3 dressings. The quality of granulation tissue and wound healing were noted
Results: A total of 100 patients were enrolled. There were 75 males and 25 females with a ratio of 3:1. Mean age was 32.88 +/- 6.10 year. Seventy percent patients had decrease in size of the wound. Ninety patients developed granulation tissues in the lower limb wounds
Conclusion: Home-made negative pressure dressing was a valuable therapy in the management of acute injuries of lower limb as it resulted in granulation and healing of the wound under challenging conditions