Effect of closed incision negative pressure wound therapy on incidence rate of surgical site infection after stoma reversal: a pilot study

Introduction
The stoma reversal (SR) procedure is associated with a relatively high risk of perioperative complications with surgical site infection (SSI) as the most common. Recently closed incision negative pressure wound therapy (ciNPWT) was applied widely to prevent SSI.

Aim
To investigate the efficiency of ciNPWT in terms of the incidence rate of SSI after SR surgery.

Material and methods
As an exploratory observational cohort study patients were treated either with ciNPWT (n = 15) or standard sterile dressing (SSD) (n = 15). CiNPWT was applied every 3 days whereas SSD was changed every day. Clinical evaluation for SSI signs, C-reactive protein level and pain assessment using the visual analogue scale (VAS) were analyzed.

Results
The incidence rate of SSI was in 13% (2/15) in the ciNPWT group and 26% (4/15) in the SSD group (p = 0.651, OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.03–3.73). All patients in the SSD group who developed SSI presented both local and generalized signs of infection. Pain-VAS levels assessed on the 1st (MdnciNPWT = 4, MdnSSD = 5, p = 0.027, W = 51.5) and 3rd postoperative day (MdnciNPWT = 2, MdnSSD = 4, p = 0.014, W = 45.5) were significantly lower in the ciNPWT group than in the SSD group.

Conclusions
CiNPWT seems not to have a benefit to reduce SSI after the SR procedure. Further investigation is needed to establish firmly the benefit of using ciNPWT in this group of patients.