TY - JOUR
T1 - Fournier's gangrene: vacuum-assisted closure versus conventional dressings
AU - Czymek, Ralf
AU - Schmidt, Andreas
AU - Eckmann, Christian
AU - Bouchard, Ralf
AU - Wulff, Birgit
AU - Laubert, Tillmann
AU - Limmer, Stefan
AU - Bruch, Hans Peter
AU - Kujath, Peter
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2009/2
Y1 - 2009/2
N2 - Background: Fournier's gangrene is a fulminant and destructive inflammation of the scrotum, penis, and perineum. The objective of this study was to compare 2 different approaches to wound management after aggressive surgical debridement. Methods: Data from 35 patients with Fournier's gangrene were prospectively collected (1996-2007). Once the patients were stabilized following surgery, they were treated with either daily antiseptic (polyhexanide) dressings (group I, n = 16) or vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy (group II, n = 19). Results: The mean age of the patients was 58.2 years in group I and 57.2 years in group II. In both groups, the most common predisposing conditions were diabetes mellitus, chronic alcoholism, and obesity. Escherichia coli, streptococcal species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequently isolated organisms. Length of hospital stay was 27.8 days ± 27.6 days (mortality: 37.5%) in group I and 96.8 days ± 77.2 days (mortality: 5.3%) in group II. Enterostomies were performed in 43.8% of group I patients and in 89.5% of group II patients. Conclusions: VAC was associated with significantly longer hospitalization and lower mortality. A partial explanation is that some patients with severe sepsis died within the first 3 days after admission and thus could not undergo vacuum therapy. Since our clinical experience has shown that vacuum dressings are particularly effective in the management of large wounds, we use VAC primarily for this indication despite the considerable material requirements involved.
AB - Background: Fournier's gangrene is a fulminant and destructive inflammation of the scrotum, penis, and perineum. The objective of this study was to compare 2 different approaches to wound management after aggressive surgical debridement. Methods: Data from 35 patients with Fournier's gangrene were prospectively collected (1996-2007). Once the patients were stabilized following surgery, they were treated with either daily antiseptic (polyhexanide) dressings (group I, n = 16) or vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy (group II, n = 19). Results: The mean age of the patients was 58.2 years in group I and 57.2 years in group II. In both groups, the most common predisposing conditions were diabetes mellitus, chronic alcoholism, and obesity. Escherichia coli, streptococcal species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequently isolated organisms. Length of hospital stay was 27.8 days ± 27.6 days (mortality: 37.5%) in group I and 96.8 days ± 77.2 days (mortality: 5.3%) in group II. Enterostomies were performed in 43.8% of group I patients and in 89.5% of group II patients. Conclusions: VAC was associated with significantly longer hospitalization and lower mortality. A partial explanation is that some patients with severe sepsis died within the first 3 days after admission and thus could not undergo vacuum therapy. Since our clinical experience has shown that vacuum dressings are particularly effective in the management of large wounds, we use VAC primarily for this indication despite the considerable material requirements involved.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=58649083931&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2008.07.053
DO - 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2008.07.053
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 19185110
AN - SCOPUS:58649083931
SN - 0002-9610
VL - 197
SP - 168
EP - 176
JO - American Journal of Surgery
JF - American Journal of Surgery
IS - 2
ER -