Vacuum-assisted closure: a weapon in the arsenal of orthopaedic surgeons in the treatment of Gustilo-Anderson III-B fractures

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the benefit of negative pressure dressing in the management of Gustilo Anderson type III-B open fractures. This prospective case series was conducted between March 2023 and March 2024 in the Department of Orthopaedics, Dr Ruth K M Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, in which records of 32 patients with open fractures treated with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) dressing, who were admitted to the orthopaedic department, were analysed. The study showed that VAC dressing plays a beneficial role in the treatment of open fractures and reduces the need for large grafts and flaps for coverage by decreasing the size of the wound through contraction and covering the exposed bone with granulation tissue, which can then be covered by a split skin graft. VAC has provided an alternative for the lack of expertise and time-consuming procedures required for the coverage of open fractures.

Keywords: Gustilo Anderson III-B, Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC), Open fracture, Coverage.