The Effect of Vacuum-assisted Closure on the Tissue Oxygenation of Venous Ulcers: A P XXXX .

@entity1 @entity1066 @entity26 @entity3179
Background. Vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C.   Therapy, KCI, San Antonio, TX) has been widely used to increase the healing rate of a variety of wounds. It has been hypothesized that one of the actions of VAC is to increase perfusion and subsequent oxygenation of tissue. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of VAC therapy on transcutaneous oximetry measurements (TCOM) of skin surrounding chronic ven @entity3179 ETHODS: This was a prospective, experimental pilot study. Pat @entity1 dergoing compression therapy were recruited from a community wound clinic. All pat @entity1 d ankle-brachial pressure indices (ABPI) > 0.8. Three TCOM values were taken from around the ulc @entity1066 d a reference TCOM was taken from the chest. Negative pressure was applied on the ulc @entity1066 125-mmHg continuous subatmospheric pressure and four-layer compression bandaging over the VAC drapes. The duration of the study was 6 days. On day 6, dressings were removed and TCOM was repeated at the same skin sites. RESULTS: Fourteen of the 17 pat @entity1 mpleted the trial. The median age was 73 years (range 49-85). No significant difference was found in oxy @entity26 rtial pressure pre-and post-VAC therapy around the ulc @entity1066 te (mean 41.5 mmHg versus 40 mmHg [P = 0.67]). There was a significant difference in TCOM between the reference point and the periwound area (mean 60.5 versus 40 [P < 0.0005]). CONCLUSION: This pilot study suggests that VAC therapy does not change oxy @entity26 rtial pressure around ven @entity3179 COM of the skin around ulcers were low despite normal ABPIs.
