Vacuum assisted therapy in the head and neck. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2025 Aug 01;33(4):230-235
Date
05/22/2025Pubmed ID
40402849DOI
10.1097/MOO.0000000000001057Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105006634403 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the utility of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in the management of head and neck wounds.
RECENT FINDINGS: NPWT has broad applications in the management of head and neck wounds. NPWT has demonstrated success in the treatment of head and neck fistulas and necrotizing soft tissue infections. Immediate application after free flap reconstruction is also shown to be safe, with benefits of reduced tissue edema and promotion of wound healing. NPWT can further be used to prepare chronic wounds for reconstruction, particularly in patients who have undergone radiotherapy. The addition of intermittent saline instillation and dwell time has shown promise in treating head and neck fistulas.
SUMMARY: NPWT has been shown to improve wound healing times, reduce length of hospital stays, decrease frequency of dressing changes, and lower pain scores compared to conventional wound care. However, existing evidence is largely limited to case reports and retrospective studies, with few prospective comparative studies. Larger prospective studies are needed to further investigate the efficacy and safety of NPWT in the head and neck.
Author List
Feng M, Gadkaree SK, Derakhshan AAuthor
Max Feng MD Instructor in the Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Head and Neck NeoplasmsHumans
Neck
Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy
Wound Healing
