COMPARISON OF WOUND HEALING OUTCOMES WITH NEGATIVE PRESSURE WOUND THERAPY VERSUS CONVENTIONAL DRESSING IN POSTOPERATIVE ABDOMINAL SURGERIES: A MULTICENTRE STUDY

Abstract

Background: The quality of postoperative wound healing plays a pivotal role in determining recovery outcomes following abdominal surgeries. Conventional dressing methods are often associated with delayed healing and higher rates of wound complications, while Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) has been proposed as a superior alternative due to its ability to promote faster tissue regeneration and reduce infection risks.

Objectives: To compare the wound healing outcomes between Negative Pressure Wound Therapy and Conventional Dressing in patients undergoing postoperative abdominal surgeries.

Study Design & Setting: A randomized controlled trial conducted at the Department of General Surgery, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore & Rahim Yar Khan over a period of six months.

Methodology: A total of 120 patients undergoing abdominal surgeries were randomized into two groups: Group A (NPWT, n = 60) and Group B (Conventional Dressing, n = 60). Patients were monitored for time to wound healing, surgical site infections, wound dehiscence, need for secondary intervention, hospital stay duration, and patient satisfaction. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, with p-values < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results: The mean time to complete healing was significantly shorter in the NPWT group (13.2 ± 3.6 days) compared to the conventional group (18.5 ± 4.9 days, p < 0.001). Surgical site infections (6.7% vs. 21.7%, p = 0.018), wound dehiscence (3.3% vs. 15.0%, p = 0.030), and hospital stay (6.8 ± 2.2 vs. 9.1 ± 3.1 days, p < 0.001) were all lower in the NPWT group. Patient satisfaction was significantly higher with NPWT.

Conclusion: NPWT significantly improves postoperative wound healing outcomes compared to conventional dressing and should be considered in routine abdominal surgery care