Use of negative pressure wound therapy in pediatric oncology patients: a single-center review of 66 patients

Abstract

Aim: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been studied extensively in adult patients, but less is known about pediatric patients. This study assesses the efficacy and safety of vacuum-assisted closure^® usage in pediatric oncology patients.

Methods: Retrospective data on all patients treated with NPWT at a single pediatric oncology hospital were collected between April 2005 and September 2013. Details on pre-treatment factors, treatment course, and post-treatment events were collected. No control group was available for comparison.

Results: Sixty-six patients were identified, with a total of 74 wounds. Median age at the time of NPWT application was 13 years (range, 10 months-23 years). Median duration of treatment was 21 days (range, 3-236 days). NPWT therapy was started with continuous high negative pressures (125 mmHg) in most patients. Sixty-nine percent of patients had their wounds healed without intervention, and 20% of patients required surgical closure. NPWT was discontinued temporarily secondary to skin maceration or cellulitis in 12% of patients. NPWT was used in a number of non-standard clinical situations, including primarily-closed incisional wound NPWT and bridging NPWT through adjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusion: In pediatric oncology patients, NPWT is safe, effective, and well-tolerated. Although this study is retrospective in nature, and there was no control group for comparison, these data are important for clinicians to guide therapy as device monitoring agencies and payors increasingly require outcomes data for the approval of therapeutic decisions.

Keywords

Pediatric / oncology / negative pressure wound therapy

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