The role of negative pressure wound therapy in the modern surgery

The introduction of negative pressure wound treatment in its current form into the daily surgical practice started in the 1990s. In addition to the suction of secretions, the aim of the treatment is to improve microcirculation and stimulate the granulation processes in the wound bed. Considering the modern wound management approach, the above method can be used to facilitate the wound healing process of both acute and chronic wounds. In the applica-tion of this method, it is important to emphasize the role of both the properly trained staff and the good patient selection. In our summary, we describe the components of the negative pressure system, the operation of wound care in this form, to present the different types of devices, and to identify the range of patients for whom the treatment can be used successfully. We cover the various technical methods of wound care systems, present the exact practice of treatment, the indications and contraindications, answer important questions that arise during treatment, draw atten-tion to possible complications and discuss how to eliminate them. There are special forms of negative pressure wound care (incisional, endoluminal, and intracavitary negative pressure wound care), which are also presented in detail, as well as application of this treatment in outpatient care. Finally, we draw attention to some special issues that may arise during negative pressure wound treatment, e.g., modification of anticoagulant therapy and treatment of wounds contaminated by multidrug-resistant pathogens.