Vacuum-assisted closure therapy is an alternative method for a massive subcutaneous emphysema treatment. It is easily applicable and shows rapid effectiveness in massive subcutaneous emphysema, intractable with chest tube drainage.

Primary Mycobacterial infection of the sternum is an exceedingly rare occurrence. We present a case of tuberculous osteomyelitis of the sternum successfully treated with surgical debridement and vacuum-assisted closure therapy.

Aim. The authors reviewed their experience in the management of open abdomen using the vacuum-assisted closure (VAC), in order to assess its morbidity, and the outcome of abdominal wall integrity. Methods. A retrospective review was performed using the trauma registry to identify patients undergoing temporary abdominal closure (TAC) either using Bogota Bag (BB) or VAC, from January 2006 to Dece...

Post-sternotomy mediastinitis is a serious complication after cardiothoracic surgery and contribute significantly to post-operative morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Negative pressure wound therapy is today's golden standard for post-sternotomy mediastinitis treatment. A systematic literature search was conducted at PubMed until October 2012 to analyse whether vacuum-assisted closure ...

Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) with a vacuum-assisted closure system has been successfully used in the management of various wounds on the trunk and distal extremities, including diabetic foot ulcers. However, reported successful NPWT cases have involved distal wounds that were below the knee. The authors report a case of an elderly diabetic patient with recalcitrant wounds in his left ...

Management of a laparostomy wound is contentious. Specific pathologies like severe intraabdominal sepsis, trauma requiring damage control, abdominal compartment syndrome, staged abdominal repair and other complex abdominal pathologies can be managed with a novel technique of Vacuum Assisted Closure dressing. This device applies sub-atmospheric pressure that leads to reduced bowel wall edema, ba...

641 With great interest, we have read the publication “The Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC)-Basket for Easy Fixation of Scrotal Skin Grafts” by Huettinger et al. [1]. The authors describe their experience with a self-constructed vacuum-assisted closure basket for fixation of splitthickness skin grafts in the urogenital area for defect coverage after Fournier’s gangrene. We would like to congratula...

423 2. Zagli G, Cianchi G, Degl’innocenti S, et al. Treatment of fournier’s gangrene with combination of vacuum-assisted closure therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and protective colostomy. Case Rep Anesthesiol 2011;2011:430983. 3. Huettinger P, Dunst-Huemer KM, Huemer GM. The VAC-Basket for Easy Fixation of Scrotal Skin Grafts. Arch Plast Surg 2012;39:667-8. 4. Djedovic G, Engelhardt TO, Rieg...

The patient is a 21-year-old female, diagnosed with cryptogenic cirrhosis at the age of 9. She presented with left post-pneumonic empyema that did not remit with conventional medical management and evolved with fistulization to the skin in the 7th intercostal space in the left subscapular region. We performed an open thoracic window procedure, and on the 6th day the patient was sent home with a...