Debridement and primary suturing combined with specific electromagnetic irradiation for incision fat liquefaction after orthopedic surgery

Forty six patients with incision fat liquefaction after orthopedic surgery were randomly divided into two groups from January 2008 to January 2014. Patients in treatment group (n=23) received debridement and primary suturing combined with specific electromagnetic irradiation and those in control group (n=23) received moist dressing healing only. The average healing time of treatment group and control group was (14.3± 2.0) and (22.1±3.9) d, respectively (P<0.05); the average number of dressing change in treatment group and control group was 2.3 ± 1.1 and 14.8±7.2, respectively (P<0.05). There was no case of complicated infection in treatment group, while there were 4 cases of infection in control group. The results indicate that debridement and primary suturing combined with specific electromagnetic irradiation can reduce the number of dressing change, shorten the wound healing time in treatment of incision fat liquefaction after orthopedic surgery. Key words: Surgical wound infection; Physical therapy modalities