Clinical Experience of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation and Dwell Time (NPWTi-d) on Complex Wounds

Wound care is forever changing with new technological advances being introduced to combat the most complicated types of patients with the most complicated types of wounds. Evidence based practice ensures that healthcare professionals must identify factors that impair wound healing and then select the most appropriate treatments available to ensure successful wound healing."Positive results have been reported with the combined use of adjunctive Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation and Dwell (NWPTi-d)" (Gabriel, Allen 2014).  Benefits of NPWTi-d include bioburden reduction, enhanced speed of granulation, reduction of pain with dressing changes, and in some cases, fewer incidences of requiring surgical debridement. 

With the rising cost of healthcare for patients with complex wounds, increased need for hospital stay and operating room time, healthcare facilities are relying on more shared expert knowledge and overall cost effective treatments. NPWT9i-d is a more recent advancement of adjuvant therapy for NWPT.  It introduces a controlled rate of topical wound cleansing to enhance removal of wound debris and contaminants.

For the purpose of this poster presentation, three case studies at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital, Edmonton Alberta have been identified as patients with complex wounds, treated with NWPTi-d resulting in successful wound healing and decreased hospital stay. Comprehensive assessment via Pixalere (online charting) and an interdisciplinary approach also provided important feedback with regards to the type of treatment selected. Enterostomal Therapists were highly involved in the assessment of patients, education and implementation of NWPTi-d.

Our goal was to reach optimum patient centered care and it is believed it was achieved.