BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

For patients at high risk, such as those with lower-gastrointestinal perforations, it is important to establish a preventive method that reduces the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) significantly. We applied negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) as part of a delayed primary closure approach to prevent SSIs. This study evaluated the value of this technique.

METHODS

We included prospectively 28 patients undergoing abdominal surgery for peritonitis caused by a lower-gastrointestinal perforation between May 2014 and November 2015. Historical controls comprised retrospective data on 19 patients who had undergone primary suturing for managing peritonitis incisions for a lower-gastrointestinal perforation from January to December 2013.

RESULTS

We found a significant association between the SSI incidence and the type of incision management (10.7% with NPWT and delayed closure vs. 63.2% with primary suturing; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups in the length of the hospital stay (22 days for NPWT and delayed closure vs. 27 days for primary suturing; p = 0.45). No severe adverse events were observed related to NPWT.

CONCLUSION

The use of NPWT and delayed primary closure was an effective measure for preventing SSI in patients undergoing abdominal surgery for peritonitis caused by lower-gastrointestinal perforation.