Customized Negative Pressure Wound Therapy: Innovative Design in Polyurethane Foam for Complex Burn Reconstruction

Abstract

Summary: The use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) throughout the entire treatment of a burn patient boosts wound healing and recovery. Hand burns require specialized management that enhances wound healing and facilitates early physical rehabilitation. Thus, this article showcases a novel idea of NPWT foam customization that boosts recovery and rehabilitation in patients with hand burns. We present two patients with hand burns treated with NPWT using a customized foam design that allowed for early rehabilitation while providing and optimized recovery. In the two cases presented, the patients required two surgical stages; in the first surgery, debridement of the burns was performed and customized NPWT with instillation was applied, and in the second surgical stage, the bed was reconstructed with partial-thickness skin grafts, which were bolstered with customized conventional NPWT. The management, reconstruction, and rehabilitation were accomplished in under 2 weeks, achieving a remarkable 100% success rate in graft integration during the acute phase on the first attempt. This highlights the effectiveness of incorporating NPWT across all burn treatment phases, expediting recovery and ensuring optimal functional outcomes for patients. Surgeons can customize different NPWT foam shapes that facilitate its use on difficult-to-treat areas, allowing for a faster recovery and better rehabilitation outcomes.