Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Dec 15;2014(12):CD006215.
doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006215.pub4.

Negative pressure wound therapy for partial-thickness burns

Affiliations

Negative pressure wound therapy for partial-thickness burns

Jo C Dumville et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. .

Abstract

Background: A burn wound is a complex and evolving injury, with both local and systemic consequences. Burn treatments include a variety of dressings, as well as newer strategies, such as negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), which, by means of a suction force that drains excess fluids from the burn, tries to promote the wound healing process and minimise progression of the burn wound.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of NPWT for people with partial-thickness burns.

Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (searched 04 September 2014); The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2014, Issue 8).

Selection criteria: All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) that evaluated the safety and effectiveness of NPWT for partial-thickness burns.

Data collection and analysis: Two review authors used standardised forms, and extracted the data independently. We assessed each trial for risk of bias, and resolved differences by discussion.

Main results: One RCT, that was an interim report, satisfied the inclusion criteria. We undertook a narrative synthesis of results, as the absence of data and poor reporting precluded us from carrying out any formal statistical analysis. The trial was at high risk of bias.

Authors' conclusions: There was not enough evidence available to permit any conclusions to be drawn regarding the use of NPWT for treatment of partial-thickness burn wounds.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

None known.

Figures

1
1
Risk of bias summary: review authors' judgements about each risk of bias item for each included study.

Update of

References

References to studies included in this review

Molnar 2004a {published data only}
    1. Molnar JA, Heimbach DM, Tredget EE, Hickerson WL, Still JM, Luterman A, et al. Prospective randomized controlled mulitcenter trial applying subatmospheric pressure to acute hand burns: an interim report. 2nd World Union of Wound Healing Societies' Meeting July 18‐23; Paris, France. 2004.

References to studies excluded from this review

Adamkova 2005 {published data only}
    1. Adamkova M, Tymonova J, Zamecnikova I, Kadlcik M, Klosova H. First experience with the use of vacuum assisted closure in the treatment of skin defects at the burn center. Acta Chirurgiae Plasticae 2005;47(1):24‐7. - PubMed
Banwell 2004b {published data only}
    1. Banwell PE. Topical negative pressure wound therapy: advances in burn wound management. Ostomy/Wound Management 2004;50(11A Suppl):9S‐14S. - PubMed
Haslik 2004 {published data only}
    1. Haslik W, Kamolz LP, Andel H, Meissl G, Frey M. The use of subatmospheric pressure to prevent burn wound progression: first experiences in burn wound treatment. Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie 2004;129(Suppl 1):S62‐3. - PubMed
Kamolz 2004 {published data only}
    1. Kamolz LP, Andel H, Haslik W, Winter W, Meissl G, Frey M. Use of subatmospheric pressure therapy to prevent burn wound progression in human: first experiences. Burns 2004;30(3):253‐8. - PubMed
Moisidis 2004 {published data only}
    1. Moisidis E, Heath T, Boorer C, Ho K, Deva AK. A prospective, blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial of topical negative pressure use in skin grafting. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 2004;114(4):917‐22. - PubMed
Molnar 2004b {published data only}
    1. Molnar JA. Applications of negative pressure wound therapy to thermal injury. Ostomy/Wound Management 2004;50(4A Suppl):17S‐19S. - PubMed
    1. Molnar JA. The science behind negative pressure wound therapy. Ostomy/Wound Management 2004;50(4A Suppl):2S‐5S. - PubMed
Nugent 2005 {published data only}
    1. Nugent N, Lannon D, O'Donnell M. Vacuum‐assisted closure ‐ a management option for the burns patient with exposed bone. Burns 2005;31(3):390‐3. - PubMed
Schintler 2005 {published data only}
    1. Schintler M, Marschitz I, Trop M. The use of topical negative pressure in a paediatric patient with extensive burns. Burns 2005;31(8):1050‐3. - PubMed
Schrank 2004 {published data only}
    1. Schrank C, Mayr M, Overesch M, Molnar J, Henkel V, Donnersmarck G, et al. Results of vacuum therapy (v.a.c.) of superficial and deep dermal burns. Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie 2004;129(Suppl 1):S59‐61. - PubMed

Additional references

Atiyeh 2005
    1. Atiyeh BS, Gunn SW, Hayek SN. State of the art in burn treatment. World Journal of Surgery 2005;29(2):131‐48. - PubMed
Banwell 1999
    1. Banwell PE. Topical negative pressure therapy in wound care. Journal of Wound Care 1999;8(2):79‐84. - PubMed
Banwell 2004a
    1. Banwell PE, Musgrave M. Topical negative pressure therapy: mechanisms and indications. International Wound Journal 2004;1(2):95‐106. - PMC - PubMed
Boykin 1980
    1. Boykin JV, Eriksson E, Pittman RN. In vivo microcirculation of a scald burn and the progression of postburn dermal ischemia. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 1980;66(2):191‐8. - PubMed
Brigham 1996
    1. Brigham PA, McLoughlin E. Burn incidence and medical care use in the United States: Estimates, trends, and data sources. Journal of Burn Care Rehabilitation 1996;17(2):95‐107. - PubMed
Deeks 2002
    1. Deeks JJ. Issues in the selection of a summary statistic for meta‐analysis of clinical trials with binary outcomes. Statistics in Medicine 2002;21(1):575‐600. - PubMed
Demling 1979
    1. Demling RH, Niehaus G, Perea A, Will JA. Effect of burn‐induced hypoproteinemia on pulmonary transvascular fluid filtration rate. Surgery 1979;85(3):39‐43. - PubMed
Demling 2005
    1. Demling RH, DeSanti L. Managing the burn wound. http://www.burnsurgery.org/Modules/BurnWound%201/index.htm (accessed 11 Jan 2006).
Department of Health and Human Services 2009
    1. Department of Health and Human Services. Comparison of prices for negative pressure wound therapy pumps. oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei‐02‐07‐00660.pdf. OEI‐02‐07‐00660 2009.
Higgins 2003
    1. Higgins JPT, Thompson SG, Deeks JJ, Altman DG. Measuring inconsistency in meta‐analyses. BMJ 2003;327(7414):557‐60. - PMC - PubMed
Higgins 2011
    1. Higgins JPT, Altman DG, on behalf of the Cochrane Statistical Methods Group and the Cochrane Bias Methods Group (Editors). Chapter 8: Assessing risk of bias in included studies. In: Higgins JPT, Green S (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1.0 [updated March 2011]. The Cochrane Collaboration, 2011. Available from www.cochrane‐handbook.org.
Johnson 2003
    1. Johnson MR, Richard R. Partial thickness burns: identification and management. Advances in Skin and Wound Care 2003;16(4):178‐87. - PubMed
Lefebvre 2011
    1. Lefebvre C, Manheimer E, Glanville J, on behalf of the Cochrane Information Retrieval Methods Group. Chapter 6: Searching for studies. In: Higgins JPT, Green S (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1.0 [updated March 2011]. The Cochrane Collaboration, 2011. Available from www.cochrane‐handbook.org.
Pham 2003
    1. Pham CT, Middleton P, Maddern G. Vacuum‐assisted closure for the management of wounds: an accelerated systematic review. Australian Safety & Efficacy Register of New Interventional Procedures – Surgical (ASERNIPS‐S) 2003;Report No.37:1‐53.
RevMan 2011 [Computer program]
    1. The Nordic Cochrane Centre. Review Manager (RevMan) Version 5.1. Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, The Cochrane Collaboration, issue 2011.
Sheridan 2002
    1. Sheridan RL. Burns. Critical Care Medicine 2002;30(11):S500‐S514. - PubMed
SIGN 2012
    1. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). Search filters. Available from http://www.sign.ac.uk/methodology/filters.html#random (accessed 23 August 2012).
Subrahmanyam 1998
    1. Subrahmanyam M. A prospective randomised clinical and histological study of superficial burn wound healing with honey and silver sulfadiazine. Burns 1998;24(2):157‐61. - PubMed
Tierney 2007
    1. Tierney JF, Stewart LA, Ghersi D, Burdett S, Sydes MR. Practical methods for incorporating summary time‐to‐event data into meta‐analysis. Trials 2007;7(8):16. - PMC - PubMed
Ubbink 2008
    1. Ubbink DT, Westerbos SJ, Evans D, Land L, Vermeulen H. Topical negative pressure for treating chronic wounds. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 3. [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001898.pub2] - DOI - PubMed
Villanueva 2004
    1. Villanueva E, Bennett MH, Wasiak J, Lehm JP. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for thermal burns. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 2. [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004727.pub2] - DOI - PMC - PubMed
Wasiak 2005
    1. Wasiak J, Cleland HJ. Burns (minor thermal). Clinical Evidence. BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, 2005. - PubMed
Youn 1992
    1. Youn YK, LaLonde C, Demling R. The role of mediators in the response to thermal injury. World Journal of Surgery 1992;16(1):30‐6. - PubMed

References to other published versions of this review

Dumville 2012
    1. Dumville JC, Munson C. Negative pressure wound therapy for partial‐thickness burns.. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012, Issue 12. [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006215.pub3.] - DOI - PubMed
Wasiak 2007
    1. Wasiak J, Cleland H. Topical negative pressure (TNP) for partial thickness burns. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 3. [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006215.pub2] - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources