A Clinical Study of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) in Initial Wound Healing Following Surgical Debridement in Diabetic Wound Infections (DFI)

Background: A complicated diabetic wound infection, in all its variation; is a common clinical entitywe face in our surgical practice which requires multidisciplinary tailored approach withadequate surgical debridement and antibiotic.This study was conducted in an attempt to assess the efficacy of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) following standard sequence of surgical debridement, antibiotics & simultaneous optimization of markers of wound healing in patients presenting with moderate and severe diabetic foot infections.Aim: To study the efficacy and safety of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) as an adjunct in the initial wound healing of diabetic foot infections subjected to surgical debridement after 8 weeks of topical therapy.Materials and methods: A total of 30 patients with moderate and severe diabetic foot infections were included in the study, which was conducted in the department of Surgery at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.Results: In our study,all the patients with severe diabetic foot infections showed slow growth of granulation tissue in the first four weeks after surgical debridement alone with antibiotics, while having exponential growth in last 4 to 8 weeks due to NPWT along with serialdebridements.Conclusion: our study concluded that NPWT can be recommended as a useful adjunct to surgical debridement in acutely infected, deep and necrotizing foot infections in diabetics in view of its outcome measures; such as ease of wound management, cost effectiveness and clinical efficacy in wound healing and safety.