Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), is widely used in the human wound care setting, most commonly for acute traumas, dehiscences, and free grafts. NPWT is a mechanical adjunct that has shown to be effective in the treatment of these wounds. The therapy is thought to decrease interstitial edema, increase perfusion to the wound and periwound, and the mechanical strain on the fibroblasts appears to encourage fibroplasia. Its use in veterinary medicine is promising, with one of the advantages being prolonged time between dressing changes (up to 72 hours). At the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine we have used NPWT in over 70 patients in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and conducted two controlled studies showing positive effects of NPWT on open wound healing and acceptance of full-thickness skin grafts. This thesis details wound healing and open wound therapies, the putative mechanisms of action of NPWT, and its clinical applications (Chapter 1). A prospective feasibility study of 50 cases of NPWT is also described (Chapter 2), as well as the manuscript of a controlled experimental study investigating the effects of NPWT on skin graft acceptance (Chapter 3). Further studies and directions for the Michigan State Wound Healing and Management Laboratory are also discussed (Chapter 4).
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