CLINICAL TECHNIQUE: Negative Pressure Wound Therapy-General Principles and Use in Avian Species

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is an adjunctive wound management modality that has been shown to augment the treatment of acute and chronic dermal and subdermal wounds in human and veterinary medicine. The proposed effects of NPWT are multifactorial and include improvement of wound perfusion, reduction of interstitial edema and substances inhibitory to wound healing, enhancement of granulation tissue formation, and reduction in bacterial contamination from a wound bed. Together, the proposed benefits of NWPT can lead to enhanced efficiency of wound healing when this treatment modality is applied to a wound. In this article, the authors provide an overview of the mechanism of action of NPWT. Case selection, system application and management, as well as contraindications to NPWT therapy are presented. Potential uses, practical application, and limitations of use of NPWT in avian species are discussed.