Negative Pressure Therapy in the Surgical Treatment of Diabetic Foot

The study aims to assess the significance of negative pressure therapy in the treatment of diabetic foot. The objectives intend to evaluate the healing time required after applying the method and the functional consequences for the patient. A prospective study was conducted on a sample of 37 patients with diabetic foot were monitored their clinical course between September 2014 - Apri12017, following negative pressure therapy. There were used vacuum assisted closure devices (VAC (TM) -Hartman) in order to apply negative pressure to the wound, while complying with specified settings (negative pressure, time of use of a kit) in accordance with patients' outcome. There were monitored changes in wound size (planimetric and volumetric measurement), their bacterial load and duration of treatment Healing was obtained in all cases, to an average hospital stay of 27.3 days and 8 days of therapy application. The negative result of microbial cultures was obtained after an average of 6.45 days by simultaneous application of negative pressure and antibiotic treatment according to the antibiogram. Skin grafts were necessary to close the defect in 4 cases. After basic treatment of the wound, auxiliary methods such as negative pressure contribute to the healing. ln patients with diabetic foot who were required surgical intervention, the use of negative pressure therapy yielded a significant benefit in the preservation of the affected limb, after minimal excision. The results we obtained throughout our experience recommend use of NPTW technique as indication for abdominal wall surgery in closing abdominal wall defects, compartment syndrome and surgical site infection after prosthetic mesh.