Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Vacuum assisted closure (VAC) or vacuum sealing drainage has received satisfactory results in the treatment of infective wound caused by surgical trauma or incised injury, however, whether it can treat explosive wound remains poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE: Based on the therapy model of the explosive wound on the pig thigh soft tissue, this experiment aims to study the treating effect of the VAC on the explosive wound. 

METHODS: The explosive wound model was established by blasting the well developed muscle tissue of an alive and healthy pig’s double thighs. The wound was polluted by leaving alone for one day without any intervention. One thigh was treated with VAC, and the other, by regular methods, was cleaned by H₂O₂, bromo-geramine, normal saline and then covered with oil gauze. The bacteriological test, hydroxyproline (HYP) content determination and hematoxylin-eosin staining were performed at 3, 5 and 7 days after operation. The differences between the parameters of the two sides were compared.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The density of bacteria at the VAC side was smaller than that of the control side at 3 days after treatment (P < 0.05). The content of HYP at the VAC side was obviously higher than the other side at 3, 5 and 7 days after treatment (P < 0.05). There was no obviously seepage, but large of granuloma tissues around the broken area at VAC side. VAC is capable of accelerating the healing of the explosive wound, decreasing the rate of infection and complications. The effect of VAC is obviously better than the regular treatment.