Physical pain usually comes to everyone’s mind whenever we think about wounds. However, wounds cause much more emotional distress, particularly chronic ones, which is ruinous. Depression, anxiety, amendments to daily tasks, or getting embarrassed due to wounds are the most common things a patient has to deal with during the process of healing.
Taking care of wounds is more complicated. It requires special training, expertise, instinct, and intuition. Nowadays, many wound closure devices are available that physicians and caretakers typically utilize to help patients physically and psychologically. We are seeing excellent progress in managing wounds with improved tools because technology is getting more advanced.
We have seen a radical change in science and technology used to take care of wounds in the past 25 years. One of the technologies that have changed wound management is vacuum-assisted closure.
Vacuum-assisted closure of a wound?
Vacuum-assisted closure, or wound VAC, is a therapy that helps wounds to heal quickly. In this solution, a device is used to reduce the air pressure from the wound to make the healing process fast.
A wound vacuum device removes the pressure over the area of the wound put by the gasses in the air. And this process is beneficial in many aspects.
Vacuum-assisted closure usually decreases the air pressure on the wound using a sealed dressing typically connected to a vacuum pump. These devices are beneficial in reducing swelling by pulling out fluid from the wounds and pulling up the edges of wounds together, supporting the growth of granulation tissue which facilitates closing the wound.
Need of vacuum-assisted wound closure devices
The vacuum-assisted wound closure device is helpful for new traumatic wounds as well as chronic wounds that usually do not heal thoroughly over time, for example, the wounds connected to diabetes. Furthermore, wound VAC is also beneficial for a recent skin graft, large wounds that need more time to heal.
A wound vacuum system is helpful in your wound healing more rapidly because it
- Improve blood flow to your wound
- Keep your wound warm and moist
- Pull out excess fluid from the wound
- Reduce redness and swelling (inflammation)
- Decrease bacteria in the wound
- Provide help in pulling wound edges together
- Reduce swelling
There are a couple of more benefits that wound VAC provides over other kinds of wound care solutions. It is pretty helpful in reducing the overall discomfort of the patient. There is no need to change dressing very often, and it is more restful to keep in place.
Risks of vacuum-assisted closure of a wound
There are a couple of unusual risks of wound VAC, including wound infection, the irregular connection between the intestinal tract and the skin, and severe bleeding. However, these risks could be shortened by the proper training in dressing changes.
It is also essential for clinicians to examine carefully if a patient is a good candidate for that therapy. Otherwise, it could cause given problems that can further increase the risk complications;
- Fragile skin, for example, from aging or longtime utilization of topical steroids.
- Dead wound tissue
- Allergic reaction to the adhesive
- Vulnerable organs or blood vessels
- Wound infection
- Cancer tissue
- Wounds close to joints that are likely to reopen because of movement
- The primary threat of bleeding due to another health issue
- Pretty lousy blood flow to your wound
- Close bone infection
That’s why a patient must discuss all questions and concerns related to the risks that apply to him/her with the provider. Also, ask about the quality of wound closure devices.
