[Therapeutic effect of vacuum-assisted closure technology on infected explosion wound of pig].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of vacuum-assisted closure (V. A. C.) technology in the treatment of infected wound of skin and soft tissue as a result of explosion injury in pig.

METHODS

Sixteen explosion wounds were established by electric detonators on the shoulders and hips on both sides of 4 small white domestic pigs ,and they were divided into A group [(without treatment and infection occurred on 1-2 post burn day (PBD), then treated with vaseline gauze on 3 (PBD)], and B group (with the same treatment as in A group, except for treatment of vacuum assisted closure (V. A. C) with pressure of - 15 kPa after 3 PBD). The data of wound depth, wound area, wound healing time were collected and analyzed at 3 PAD and 1, 3, 6, 9, 14, 19, 24 days after treatment. Specimens from wounds were collected for histopathology observation, including also cell proliferation index, the number of vascular endothelial cells, the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and the number of bacteria.

RESULTS

Compared with those in A group on land 3 days after treatment, wound area, wound depth were not enlarged or deepened in B group, while the number of inflammatory cells, vascular endothelial cells, proliferative cells were increased, the activity of MPO was enhanced and the number of bacteria was decreased. There were obvious differences between two groups in following indices: wound area ,wound depth, the number of vascular endothelial cells and bacteria during 1 to 19 days after treatment (P < 0.01)), the number of cell proliferation from 1 - 9 days after treatment (P < 0.01)), and the activity of MPO on 3, 6 days after treatment (P < 0. 01). The wound healing time was (32.8 +/- 1.6) d in A group, which was longer than that in B group (25.8 +/- 1.0 d, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Compared with conventional dressing change, V. A. C can decrease bacteria load, lessen secondary necrosis, prompt the inflammatory response, accelerate the formation of granulation tissue, shorten wound healing time in infectious wound of porcine skin and soft tissue resulted from explosion injury.