symposium II: basic research and clinical approach for impaired wound healing Moderated by Takashi Nakazuka: Negative‐Pressure Dressings in the Treatment of Infected Pressure Ulcers

Applying negative pressure to wounds may speed the formation of granulation tissue, decrease the amount of localized edema, increase blood flow, and accelerate healing. In the present study, we treated 10 patients with stage IV chronic pressure ulcers associated with infection by this negative pressure dressings. The aim of this investigation is to study the efficacy of this therapeutic method for pressure ulcers with the infection by this negative pressure dressings. The long (A) and short (B) diameters of ulcer were measured to determine the size, and the vertical distance from the skin to the deepest point of ulcer was measured to determine the depth. Lesions were measured initially, at weekly intervals. The area of the lesion was taken to be 3.14 × A/2 × B/2 (cm2). In comparison with the area in the start and end of the treatment, the area had been reduced in all cases, and the reduction of 55.1% was shown from the area at the baseline. In comparison with the depth in the start and end of the treatment, the depth also decreased as well as the area in all cases, and the reduction of 61.2% was shown from the depth at the baseline. In view of the period of evaluation, the method is considered markedly effective in reducing the size and depth of ulcer.