Vacuum sealing: indication, technique, and results.

Vacuum sealing is a new therapeutic concept to achieve secure and rapid wound healing in traumatic soft tissue damage (incl.open and closed fractures), in acute and, as an intermediate measure, in chronic infections. The tissue defect is filled in with open-porous polyvinylalcohol-foam and the entire wound surface is covered with a semipermeable transparent Polyurethane drape. Using Redon-drainage tubes and vacuum bottles, a vacuum of 80 kPa is established in the entire wound. This results in a complete evacuation of fluids and a high pressure in the interface between the foam and the wound surface without compression of deeper wound layers. The therapeutic benefit lies in the rapid formation of sound granulation tissue. Between January 1992 and August 1993, 181 patients had undergone a vacuum sealing procedure. 121 patients were followed up, underlining the benefit of vacuum sealing for the treatment of soft tissue defects.