The management of a dehisced surgical wound in a pregnant lady using a new portable Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Device

Purpose: To manage a dehisced surgical wound in a pregnant lady using a new portable Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Device. Method: The case presented here is that of a 38-year-old patient, gravida 2 who had an appendicectomy at 31 weeks gestation. The patient presented at the maternity assessment unit at 16 days post operatively with a pyrexia of 37.5¢ªC. The wound had dehisced on day 10, some internal sutures were visible at the base of the wound. The wound measured approximately 10cm x 4cm and was 2cm deep. Results: At day 4 the wound was reviewed and was already making good progress. With new granulation tissue visible the wound was also less deep. On return to the midwifery assessment unit the patient was happy with the dressing and said that this allowed her to hold her young child as the dressing felt more secure. She also felt less anxious and did not report any pain. The patient was managed at home until the wound healed. The wound healed at week four of treatment. Conclusion: This patient was understandably distressed and anxious following the dehiscence of her surgical wound. The use of PICO Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy allowed the patient to be treated at home avoiding separation from her young child and promoted healing in a relatively short time frame. The community nurse was happy to use the product and the patient was much less anxious with the product in situ.