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Australian Journal of General Practice Sep 2019The availability of complex wound dressings following progressive innovations, increasing demand for hospital beds and the early discharge of post-operative patients...
BACKGROUND
The availability of complex wound dressings following progressive innovations, increasing demand for hospital beds and the early discharge of post-operative patients have shifted the sharing of care of such patients from hospital specialists to general practitioners (GPs). Although several published guidelines on the management of chronic wounds exist, there is a lack of similar material addressing the assessment and management of post-surgical wounds.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this article is to provide a practical guideline for identifying early complications of post-surgical wounds and managing patients with complex wound dressing systems such as vacuum-assisted closure.
DISCUSSION
Early detection of wound complications is crucial to improving patients' quality of life and reducing hospital readmission. GP competency in the proper application of complex dressings is one component that can improve these factors. Effective communication, including documentation, between hospitals, community nurses and GPs ensures smooth management of wound care for patients.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bandages; Drainage; General Practice; Hematoma; Humans; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy; Postoperative Complications; Referral and Consultation; Seroma; Surgical Wound; Surgical Wound Dehiscence; Surgical Wound Infection; Sutures; Therapeutic Irrigation
PubMed: 31476832
DOI: 10.31128/AJGP-04-19-4921 -
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Jan 2022In 2010, this Journal published my comprehensive review of the literature on hypertrophic scars and keloids. In that article, I presented evidence-based algorithms for... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
In 2010, this Journal published my comprehensive review of the literature on hypertrophic scars and keloids. In that article, I presented evidence-based algorithms for the prevention and treatment of these refractory pathologic scars. In the ensuing decade, substantial progress has been made in the field, including many new randomized controlled trials. To reflect this, I have updated my review.
METHODS
All studies were evaluated for methodologic quality. Baseline characteristics of patients were extracted along with the interventions and their outcomes. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and comprehensive reviews were included if available.
RESULTS
Risk factors that promote hypertrophic scar and keloid growth include local factors (tension on the wound/scar), systemic factors (e.g., hypertension), genetic factors (e.g., single-nucleotide polymorphisms), and lifestyle factors. Treatment of hypertrophic scars depends on scar contracture severity: if severe, surgery is the first choice. If not, conservative therapies are indicated. Keloid treatment depends on whether they are small and single or large and multiple. Small and single keloids can be treated radically by surgery with adjuvant therapy (e.g., radiotherapy) or multimodal conservative therapy. For large and multiple keloids, volume- and number-reducing surgery is a choice. Regardless of the treatment(s), patients should be followed up over the long term. Conservative therapies, including gel sheets, tape fixation, topical and injected external agents, oral agents, and makeup therapy, should be administered on a case-by-case basis.
CONCLUSIONS
Randomized controlled trials on pathologic scar management have increased markedly over the past decade. Although these studies suffer from various limitations, they have greatly improved hypertrophic scar and keloid management. Future high-quality trials are likely to improve the current hypertrophic scar and keloid treatment algorithms further.
Topics: Aftercare; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic; Combined Modality Therapy; Critical Pathways; Humans; Keloid; Postoperative Care; Postoperative Complications; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Surgical Wound; Wound Healing
PubMed: 34813576
DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000008667 -
International Journal of Nursing Studies Feb 2020The increasing numbers of surgeries involving high risk, multi-morbid patients, coupled with inconsistencies in the practice of perioperative surgical wound care,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The increasing numbers of surgeries involving high risk, multi-morbid patients, coupled with inconsistencies in the practice of perioperative surgical wound care, increases patients' risk of surgical site infection and other wound complications.
OBJECTIVES
To synthesise and evaluate the recommendations for nursing practice and research from published systematic reviews in the Cochrane Library on nurse-led preoperative prophylaxis and postoperative surgical wound care interventions used or initiated by nurses.
DESIGN
Meta-review, guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
DATA SOURCES
The Cochrane Library database.
REVIEW METHODS
All Cochrane Systematic Reviews were eligible. Two reviewers independently selected the reviews and extracted data. One reviewer appraised the methodological quality of the included reviews using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 checklist. A second reviewer independently verified these appraisals. The review protocol was registered with the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews.
RESULTS
Twenty-two Cochrane reviews met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 11 reviews focused on preoperative interventions to prevent infection, while 12 focused on postoperative interventions (one review assessed both pre-postoperative interventions). Across all reviews, 14 (63.6%) made at least one recommendation to undertake a specific practice, while two reviews (9.1%) made at least one specific recommendation not to undertake a practice. In relation to recommendations for further research, insufficient sample size was the most predominant methodological issue (12/22) identified across reviews.
CONCLUSIONS
The limited number of recommendations for pre-and-postoperative interventions reflects the paucity of high-quality evidence, suggesting a need for rigorous trials to address these evidence gaps in fundamentals of nursing care.
Topics: Humans; Postoperative Care; Preoperative Care; Surgical Wound; Surgical Wound Infection
PubMed: 31810020
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.103486 -
International Wound Journal Dec 2016Advances in preoperative care, surgical techniques and technologies have enabled surgeons to achieve primary closure in a high percentage of surgical procedures.... (Review)
Review
Improving wound healing and preventing surgical site complications of closed surgical incisions: a possible role of Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy. A systematic review of the literature.
Advances in preoperative care, surgical techniques and technologies have enabled surgeons to achieve primary closure in a high percentage of surgical procedures. However, often, underlying patient comorbidities in addition to surgical-related factors make the management of surgical wounds primary closure challenging because of the higher risk of developing complications. To date, extensive evidence exists, which demonstrate the benefits of negative pressure dressing in the treatment of open wounds; recently, Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (INPWT) technology as delivered by Prevena™ (KCI USA, Inc., San Antonio, TX) and Pico (Smith & Nephew Inc, Andover, MA) systems has been the focus of a new investigation on possible prophylactic measures to prevent complications via application immediately after surgery in high-risk, clean, closed surgical incisions. A systematic review was performed to evaluate INPWT's effect on surgical sites healing by primary intention. The primary outcomes of interest are an understanding of INPWT functioning and mechanisms of action, extrapolated from animal and biomedical engineering studies and incidence of complications (infection, dehiscence, seroma, hematoma, skin and fat necrosis, skin and fascial dehiscence or blistering) and other variables influenced by applying INPWT (re-operation and re-hospitalization rates, time to dry wound, cost saving) extrapolated from human studies. A search was conducted for published articles in various databases including PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus Database from 2006 to March 2014. Supplemental searches were performed using reference lists and conference proceedings. Studies selection was based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria and data extraction regarding study quality, model investigated, epidemiological and clinical characteristics and type of surgery, and the outcomes were applied to all the articles included. 1 biomedical engineering study, 2 animal studies, 15 human studies for a total of 6 randomized controlled trials, 5 prospective cohort studies, 7 retrospective analyses, were included. Human studies investigated the outcomes of 1042 incisions on 1003 patients. The literature shows a decrease in the incidence of infection, sero-haematoma formation and on the re-operation rates when using INPWT. Lower level of evidence was found on dehiscence, decreased in some studies, and was inconsistent to make a conclusion. Because of limited studies, it is difficult to make any assertions on the other variables, suggesting a requirement for further studies for proper recommendations on INPWT.
Topics: Animals; Female; Humans; Male; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy; Prognosis; Quality Improvement; Risk Assessment; Surgical Wound; Surgical Wound Infection; Wound Healing
PubMed: 26424609
DOI: 10.1111/iwj.12492 -
Wounds : a Compendium of Clinical... Aug 2021Activated platelets release a rich broth of growth factors involved in wound healing. One way to deliver activated platelets to wounds is in the form of platelet-rich... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Activated platelets release a rich broth of growth factors involved in wound healing. One way to deliver activated platelets to wounds is in the form of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) harvested by centrifuging the patient's venous blood after activating the platelets with collagen or calcium chloride and/or autologous thrombin, then delicately removing the supernatant, called platelet-poor plasma (PPP). Platelet-rich plasma is usually injected into the lesion and/or applied topically, then sealed in or over the wound using a moisture-retentive dressing. Platelet-rich plasma (often with PPP) has been applied at different times, depths, and frequencies to chronic and acute wounds using various PRP doses and vehicles to achieve widely differing results. Meta-analyses have reported that PRP improved healing rates of open diabetic foot ulcers and venous ulcers and may reduce pain and surgical site infection (SSI) incidence in open and closed acute surgical wounds. However, inconsistency in study methods and outcome measures limited consistency of pain and SSI results. No consistent effect on healing or deep SSI rates was reported as a result of adding 1 intraoperative dose of PRP in the surgical site before closing elective foot and ankle surgery incisions of 250 patients as compared with 250 similar patients receiving the same procedure without PRP. After decades of research, ideal parameters of PRP delivery and use on each type of wound remain unclear for improving SSI, acute wound pain, and healing outcomes. This installment of the Evidence Corner reviews 2 surgical studies that may provide clues about optimal PRP use. One triple-blind randomized clinical trial (RCT) focused on irrigation of freshly closed carpal ligament surgical incisions with PRP as compared with PPP. Another non-blind RCT explored the effect of injecting PRP into open pilonidal sinus excisions 4 days and 12 days after surgery.
Topics: Diabetic Foot; Humans; Platelet-Rich Plasma; Surgical Wound; Varicose Ulcer; Wound Healing
PubMed: 34357880
DOI: No ID Found -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Apr 2022Indications for the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) are broad and include prophylaxis for surgical site infections (SSIs). Existing evidence for the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Indications for the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) are broad and include prophylaxis for surgical site infections (SSIs). Existing evidence for the effectiveness of NPWT on postoperative wounds healing by primary closure remains uncertain.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of NPWT for preventing SSI in wounds healing through primary closure, and to assess the cost-effectiveness of NPWT in wounds healing through primary closure.
SEARCH METHODS
In January 2021, we searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); Ovid MEDLINE (including In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations); Ovid Embase and EBSCO CINAHL Plus. We also searched clinical trials registries and references of included studies, systematic reviews and health technology reports. There were no restrictions on language, publication date or study setting.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included trials if they allocated participants to treatment randomly and compared NPWT with any other type of wound dressing, or compared one type of NPWT with another.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
At least two review authors independently assessed trials using predetermined inclusion criteria. We carried out data extraction, assessment using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and quality assessment according to Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations methodology. Our primary outcomes were SSI, mortality, and wound dehiscence.
MAIN RESULTS
In this fourth update, we added 18 new randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and one new economic study, resulting in a total of 62 RCTs (13,340 included participants) and six economic studies. Studies evaluated NPWT in a wide range of surgeries, including orthopaedic, obstetric, vascular and general procedures. All studies compared NPWT with standard dressings. Most studies had unclear or high risk of bias for at least one key domain. Primary outcomes Eleven studies (6384 participants) which reported mortality were pooled. There is low-certainty evidence showing there may be a reduced risk of death after surgery for people treated with NPWT (0.84%) compared with standard dressings (1.17%) but there is uncertainty around this as confidence intervals include risk of benefits and harm; risk ratio (RR) 0.78 (95% CI 0.47 to 1.30; I = 0%). Fifty-four studies reported SSI; 44 studies (11,403 participants) were pooled. There is moderate-certainty evidence that NPWT probably results in fewer SSIs (8.7% of participants) than treatment with standard dressings (11.75%) after surgery; RR 0.73 (95% CI 0.63 to 0.85; I = 29%). Thirty studies reported wound dehiscence; 23 studies (8724 participants) were pooled. There is moderate-certainty evidence that there is probably little or no difference in dehiscence between people treated with NPWT (6.62%) and those treated with standard dressing (6.97%), although there is imprecision around the estimate that includes risk of benefit and harms; RR 0.97 (95% CI 0.82 to 1.16; I = 4%). Evidence was downgraded for imprecision, risk of bias, or a combination of these. Secondary outcomes There is low-certainty evidence for the outcomes of reoperation and seroma; in each case, confidence intervals included both benefit and harm. There may be a reduced risk of reoperation favouring the standard dressing arm, but this was imprecise: RR 1.13 (95% CI 0.91 to 1.41; I = 2%; 18 trials; 6272 participants). There may be a reduced risk of seroma for people treated with NPWT but this is imprecise: the RR was 0.82 (95% CI 0.65 to 1.05; I = 0%; 15 trials; 5436 participants). For skin blisters, there is low-certainty evidence that people treated with NPWT may be more likely to develop skin blisters compared with those treated with standard dressing (RR 3.55; 95% CI 1.43 to 8.77; I = 74%; 11 trials; 5015 participants). The effect of NPWT on haematoma is uncertain (RR 0.79; 95 % CI 0.48 to 1.30; I = 0%; 17 trials; 5909 participants; very low-certainty evidence). There is low-certainty evidence of little to no difference in reported pain between groups. Pain was measured in different ways and most studies could not be pooled; this GRADE assessment is based on all fourteen trials reporting pain; the pooled RR for the proportion of participants who experienced pain was 1.52 (95% CI 0.20, 11.31; I = 34%; two studies; 632 participants). Cost-effectiveness Six economic studies, based wholly or partially on trials in our review, assessed the cost-effectiveness of NPWT compared with standard care. They considered NPWT in five indications: caesarean sections in obese women; surgery for lower limb fracture; knee/hip arthroplasty; coronary artery bypass grafts; and vascular surgery with inguinal incisions. They calculated quality-adjusted life-years or an equivalent, and produced estimates of the treatments' relative cost-effectiveness. The reporting quality was good but the evidence certainty varied from moderate to very low. There is moderate-certainty evidence that NPWT in surgery for lower limb fracture was not cost-effective at any threshold of willingness-to-pay and that NPWT is probably cost-effective in obese women undergoing caesarean section. Other studies found low or very low-certainty evidence indicating that NPWT may be cost-effective for the indications assessed.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
People with primary closure of their surgical wound and treated prophylactically with NPWT following surgery probably experience fewer SSIs than people treated with standard dressings but there is probably no difference in wound dehiscence (moderate-certainty evidence). There may be a reduced risk of death after surgery for people treated with NPWT compared with standard dressings but there is uncertainty around this as confidence intervals include risk of benefit and harm (low-certainty evidence). People treated with NPWT may experience more instances of skin blistering compared with standard dressing treatment (low-certainty evidence). There are no clear differences in other secondary outcomes where most evidence is low or very low-certainty. Assessments of cost-effectiveness of NPWT produced differing results in different indications. There is a large number of ongoing studies, the results of which may change the findings of this review. Decisions about use of NPWT should take into account surgical indication and setting and consider evidence for all outcomes.
Topics: Blister; Humans; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy; Pain; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Seroma; Soft Tissue Injuries; Surgical Wound; Surgical Wound Infection
PubMed: 35471497
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009261.pub7 -
International Journal of Surgery... Oct 2020To evaluate the effects of different surgical dressings in reducing surgical site infection (SSI) and identify the optimal dressings. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of different surgical dressings in reducing surgical site infection (SSI) and identify the optimal dressings.
METHODS
Randomized controlled trials investigating the application of surgical dressings were retrieved from electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. The odds ratios (ORs) of the SSI rate were compared by direct meta-analysis, and the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) curve values were calculated based on the Bayesian theorem. A node-splitting model was applied to analyse the consistency of the comprehensive comparison results.
RESULTS
Twenty-two studies containing 5487 participants were pooled for the comprehensive comparison. Among all the studies included, 9 types of surgical dressings were identified for comparison. The results of the direct meta-analysis revealed that novel dressings significantly reduced the overall SSI rate with an OR of 1.026 (95% CI: 1.013-1.040, p < 0.001), which was determined to have low heterogeneity (I = 32.1%). Specifically, 3 types of dressings presented significant effects in reducing SSI, namely, mupirocin-containing (OR = 1.076, 95% CI: 1.014-1.142, p = 0.015), dialkylcarbamoyl-chloride-containing (OR = 1.047, 95% CI: 1.012-1.083, p = 0.008) and vitamin E (VE)-silicone-containing (OR = 1.129, 95% CI: 1.016-1.255, p = 0.025) dressings. Network meta-analysis demonstrated that the VE-silicone dressing (SUCRA = 0.37) was the optimal dressing, followed by the mupirocin dressing, with a SUCRA of 0.31.
CONCLUSION
The present network meta-analysis identified the superiority of VE-silicone and mupirocin dressings in preventing SSI. The evidence-based results provide suggestions and directions for future investigations on surgical dressings. More large-scale trials with rigorous designs are warranted to clarify the clinical value of novel dressings in surgical incision management.
Topics: Bandages; Bayes Theorem; Humans; Network Meta-Analysis; Odds Ratio; Postoperative Period; Surgical Wound; Surgical Wound Infection; Wound Healing
PubMed: 32853782
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.07.066 -
Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North... May 2023This review summarizes common risk factors for poor surgical healing on the face and neck and a generalized approach to treating a delayed healing wound. During the... (Review)
Review
This review summarizes common risk factors for poor surgical healing on the face and neck and a generalized approach to treating a delayed healing wound. During the preoperative evaluation patients should be screened for prior irradiation, cigarette or e-cigarette use, chronic steroid use, alcoholism, diabetes, malnutrition, and other chronic medical conditions and medications. Despite the surgeon's best efforts to prevent poor surgical healing, some wounds may display signs of persistent inflammation. The facial plastic surgeon should be astute in recognizing delayed healing and identifying intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors so that timely intervention can be performed.
Topics: Humans; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Surgical Wound; Wound Healing; Neck
PubMed: 37001921
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsc.2023.01.002 -
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Sep 2016As the population grows older, the incidence and prevalence of conditions that lead to a predisposition for poor wound healing also increase. Ultimately, this increase... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
As the population grows older, the incidence and prevalence of conditions that lead to a predisposition for poor wound healing also increase. Ultimately, this increase in nonhealing wounds has led to significant morbidity and mortality with subsequent huge economic ramifications. Therefore, understanding specific molecular mechanisms underlying aberrant wound healing is of great importance. It has and will continue to be the leading pathway to the discovery of therapeutic targets, as well as diagnostic molecular biomarkers. Biomarkers may help identify and stratify subsets of nonhealing patients for whom biomarker-guided approaches may aid in healing.
METHODS
A series of literature searches were performed using Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Internet searches.
RESULTS
Currently, biomarkers are being identified using biomaterials sourced locally from human wounds and/or systemically using high-throughput "omics" modalities (genomic, proteomic, lipidomic, and metabolomic analysis). In this review, we highlight the current status of clinically applicable biomarkers and propose multiple steps in validation and implementation spectrum, including those measured in tissue specimens, for example, β-catenin and c-myc, wound fluid, matrix metalloproteinases and interleukins, swabs, wound microbiota, and serum, for example, procalcitonin and matrix metalloproteinases.
CONCLUSIONS
Identification of numerous potential biomarkers using different avenues of sample collection and molecular approaches is currently underway. A focus on simplicity and consistent implementation of these biomarkers, as well as an emphasis on efficacious follow-up therapeutics, is necessary for transition of this technology to clinically feasible point-of-care applications.
Topics: Biomarkers; Chronic Disease; Humans; Postoperative Complications; Plastic Surgery Procedures; Surgical Wound; Wound Healing
PubMed: 27556760
DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000002682 -
International Wound Journal May 2023The aim of this study was to describe patients' experiences of, and preferences for, surgical wound care discharge education and how these experiences predicted their...
The aim of this study was to describe patients' experiences of, and preferences for, surgical wound care discharge education and how these experiences predicted their ability to self-manage their surgical wounds. A telephone survey of 270 surgical patients was conducted across two hospitals two weeks after discharge. Patients preferred verbal (n = 255, 94.8%) and written surgical wound education (n = 178, 66.2%) from medical (n = 229, 85.4%) and nursing staff (n = 211, 78.7%) at discharge. The most frequent education content that patients received was information about follow-up appointments (n = 242, 89.6%) and who to contact in the community with wound care concerns (n = 233, 86.6%). Using logistic regression, patients who perceived that they participated in surgical wound care decisions were 6.5 times more likely to state that they were able to manage their wounds at home. Also, patients who agreed that medical and/or nursing staff discussed wound pain management were 3.1 times more likely to report being able to manage their surgical wounds at home. Only 40% (107/270) of patients actively participated in wound-related decision-making during discharge education. These results uncovered patient preferences, which could be used to optimise discharge education practices. Embedding patient participation into clinical workflows may enhance patients' self-management practices once home.
Topics: Surgical Wound; Humans; Patient Education as Topic; Patient Discharge; Patient Preference; Surveys and Questionnaires; Logistic Models; Self Care; Cross-Sectional Studies; Queensland; Male; Female; Adult; Middle Aged; Aged
PubMed: 36494081
DOI: 10.1111/iwj.14030