The Use of Topical Negative Pressure for the Treatment of Pressure Ulcers

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The title of the study is The Use of Topical Negative Pressure for the Treatment of Pressure Ulcers. Topical Negative Pressure (TNP) is the application of sub-atmospheric pressure to promote wound healing and to aid with management of exudates (Long & Blevins, 2009). Multiple studies have shown the use of TNP increases blood flow and is the key to making progress in wound care management. The estimated pressure ulcer prevalence in the acute care setting is 15% while the incidence is 7%. Annually, an estimated 2.5 million patients are treated for pressure ulcers in acute care settings in the United States ((Baharestani & de Leon, 2008). The results from this study have provided additional knowledge about TNP as an effective method for treating pressure ulcers.

Methods: The research design is retrospective, quantitative, descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional. The convenience sample chosen for this study were patients admitted to an acute care setting between 2008-2010. The subjects were diagnosed with pressure ulcer wounds that were treated with negative pressure therapy or conventional therapy. There were no exclusionary criteria regarding the sample. Included were all patients across the lifespan admitted to an acute care hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Results: The study results showed that TNP promotes significant healing in the treatment of pressure ulcer.

Conclusion: The research also demonstrated a need to educate healthcare providers, and especially surgeons dealing with wound populations, as well as wound care specialists, about the efficacy of TNP as one of the best options in the treatment of pressure ulcers.