View clinical trials related to Wound; Abdomen, Abdominal Wall.
Filter by:The goal of this study is to present a large single-institution experience reporting surgical site infection rates in patients who have undergone intra-abdominal surgery followed by wound closure with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy. A retrospective review of patients' charts will be conducted to analyze surgical site infection rates between wound closure with and without Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT). American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program data from previous standard of care (primary closure after colorectal surgery) will be used for comparison with newly adopted standard of care treatment regimen (wound closure with NPWT). Data on patients who underwent intra-abdominal surgery will be retrospectively collected and a database will be created. These individuals will be identified through medical records and recontacted by mail and/or phone to collect study data. Finally, patients newly referred to the Principal Investigator for intra-abdominal surgery will be enrolled in the database. After giving informed consent, data on surgical site infection rates and outcomes will be collected. Longitudinal outcomes will be assessed at 30 days, 6 months, and 12 months post-operatively. These patients' outcomes will be compared to a group of patients treated by the Principal Investigator who also underwent intra-abdominal surgery without Negative Pressure Wound Therapy. We hypothesize that fewer patients treated with negative pressure wound therapy following intra-abdominal surgery will develop surgical site infections than patients who had intra-abdominal surgery but were not treated with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy.
Damage control laparotomy (DCL) is a life saving maneuver used with success in trauma and acute general surgery patients. The technique involves source control of sepsis and hemorrhage with an abbreviated laparotomy. In other words, the surgical procedure is cut short to allow for resuscitation in the ICU after the immediately life threatening pathology is treated. Planned re-exploration is then performed within 24-48 hours. It is at this procedure that the injuries are reconstructed. This technique, unfortunately, has several complications implicit with its use including wound infection, enterocutaneous fistula formation, and intra-abdominal abscess development.[1] Additionally, in patients whom primary fascial closure is not achieved, extensive abdominal wall reconstruction will be required in 6-12 months. The key for preventing these complications is definitive closure of the abdominal fascia, however, 10-50% of patients will have a planned ventral hernia with an open abdominal wound at dismissal [1,2] Proven methods for decreasing the rate of planned ventral hernia utilize tension in the midline to counter the effects of lateral abdominal muscular retraction.[3,4,5] Despite these improvements, however, the planned ventral hernia rate continues to be substantial.[2] Botulinum toxin a (BTX) is an FDA approved neuron modulating agent which has been used extensively in cosmetic, motor and pain disorders over the past 20 years [6,7]. The toxin blocks acetylcholine and pain modulator release (calcitonin gene related peptide and substance P) from the pre-synaptic cholinergic nerve terminal. The peptides are unable to bind at their motor end plate receptors through a process that cleaves proteins involved in the transport protein cascade. This results in flaccid paralysis and neuromodulation of the abdominal wall muscles resulting in reduced lateral tension and pain. Theoretically, this could increase the rates of primary fascial closure, improve pain sensation, decrease the rate of complications associated with open abdomens all while lowering the costs and need for future abdominal wall reconstruction.