Contaminated midline abdominal wounds are often left open and allowed to close by secondary intention to prevent surgical site infections. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) devices have been shown to decrease time of healing by secondary intention when compared to the prior standard of moist dressings.¹ A modification of NPWT that utilizes the unique characteristics of the NPWT system to achieve a delayed primary closure while preventing surgical site infections by continuously draining the wound effluent is presented.

Background. The Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) guidelines promote the comprehensive, interdisciplinary management of patients with chronic wounds by multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) comprised of designated specialists.¹ Since these patients are known to have a high incidence of multiple medical problems, comorbidity factors that require input from many specialties for wound prevention (both effective and safe wound treatment), this approach seems to be logical.² Conversely, since problem wounds should be promptly treated,management

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SMITH & NEPHEW ENTERS NPWT RENTAL MARKET
Smith & Nephew (London, UK) in collaboration with Universal Hospital Services Inc (Edina, Minn) reached an agreement with to bring their negative pressure wound therapy products to the US rental market.

Disclosure: This work was supported by grant no. 6418-6 from the Chief Scientist’s Office of the Ministry of Health, Israel.