Comparison of standard surgical debridement versus the VERSAJET Plus™ Hydrosurgery system in the treatment of open tibia fractures: a prospective open label randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of an alternative debridement technology in the treatment of Gustilo & Anderson grade III A and III B open tibia fractures. The objective was to explore whether improvements to the debridement using tangential hydrosurgery (VERSAJET™ Plus Smith & Nephew) could reduce the number of debridement episodes and the days before closure. A pilot scale randomized controlled trial was conducted against conventional surgery. A total of 40 patients were recruited. Sixteen patients received hydrosurgery and 24 patients were treated with standard surgical debridement. Baseline characteristics were well balanced. There was significant evidence (p < 0.001) that VERSAJET patients required fewer debridement procedures than standard surgical debridement prior to wound closure (ratio standard: VERSAJET = 1.747). The median time to wound closure was 3 days (95% CI 3 days, 5 days) for VERSAJET and 5 days (95% CI 4 days, 8 days) for standard debridement, although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.275). There were no instances of post-operative infection.