Incisional NPWT Showed Mixed Results for Quantitative and Qualitative Scar Outcome Measures

In this study, the authors (Floyd W. Timmermans, Sterre E. Mokken, Jan-Maerten Smit, Mark-Bram Bouman, Timotheus C. van de Grift, Margriet G. Mullender, Esther Middelkoop) aimed to ascertain if incisional negative pressure wound therapy (iNPWT) would demonstrate improved scar outcomes in comparison with the standard of care. This study (The impact of incisional negative pressure wound therapy on scar quality and patient-reported outcomes: a within-patient-controlled, randomised trial) was published on February 10, 2022, with the Wound Repair and Regeneration.¹

The authors conducted a prospective, open-label, within-patient randomized controlled trial (left-right comparison) using iNPWT to establish if it improved scar results, by means of both objective scar evaluations and patient-reported outcomes. The importance of this study was stressed by the authors due to iNPWT being used for several different indications and its importance for measuring scar quality.

The authors conducted a review of 85 medical charts between August 2019 and August 2020 to evaluate operative outcomes of surgeries that occurred between August 2018 and August 2019. Patients eligible for inclusion received both standard of care (SOC) and iNPWT treatments for either side of the chest wounds.

The authors found that iNPWT showed mixed results for quantitative and qualitative scar outcome measures. Incisions treated with iNPWT showed beneficial outcomes when used on the surgical wound, albeit with small results sizes. There were no significant, quantitative, differences when comparing standard of care and iNPWT.

One limitation of the study is the open-label nature of the analysis. The impact of attribution bias or placebo effect is difficult to assess in an open-label study but might have an exaggerated impact on the iNPWT with patient-reported outcomes.¹

To reads the full study, click here.

—Cat Urbanski, Associate Digital Editor

Reference

1. Timmermans FW, Mokken SE, Smit JM, et al. The impact of incisional negative pressure wound therapy on scar quality and patient-reported outcomes: A within-patient-controlled, randomised trial [published online ahead of print, 2022 Feb 10]. Wound Repair Regen. 2022;10.1111/wrr.13001. doi:10.1111/wrr.13001