Acelity today released results from a study of cesarean procedures for obese patients, touting a reduction in post-surgical wound complications and narcotic use for patients who underwent closed incision negative pressure wound therapy using its Prevena incision management system.
Results from the study were published in the American Journal of Perinatology.
“Cesarean deliveries are the most commonly performed surgical procedure in the United States, and post-cesarean wound complications, specifically in pregnant women who are obese, remain a major issue in modern obstetrics. While further research is needed, these results have significant implications for postpartum and postoperative pain management as the evidence indicates that closed incision negative pressure therapy could provide alternatives to traditional medications that are typically used to mitigate pain at the incision site,” study author Dr. Robert Heine of Duke University Medical Center said in a prepared statement.
A typical hospital readmissions costs approximately $6,600 for a post-cesarean SSO, the San Antonio, Texas-based company said. Obese women who undergo cesarean delivery are also at a higher risk of wound infection.
The single-center, randomized, controlled study compared surgical site occurrences, including local inflammatory response, prolonged drainage, fluid collection, dehiscence and surgical site infections amongst 82 patients undergoing cesarean delivery.
Patients were split between those receiving NPWT care with the Prevena system and those treated with standard-of-care dressings.
Results indicated a lower rate of SSOs, at 5.1% for those in the Prevena cohort versus a 16.3% rate for those treated with standard dressings, Acelity reported. Patients treated with Prevena also reported less incisional pain at rest and with incisional pressure, at 43.5% and 54.3% compared to 84.8% and 91.3%, respectively.
Data from the study also indicated a 30% decrease in total opioid use for patients treated with assistance from the Prevena system, at 55.9mg or morphine average versus 79.1 mg for patients treated with the standard of care dressing.
“This compelling new data suggests that negative pressure wound therapy may be used to reduce post-operative pain in surgical patients. By examining patients at greater risk of complications and increased costs in this study, we can now point to definitive, exciting data that shows Prevena therapy improves the patient experience by reducing pain. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that demonstrates a potential reduction in post-operative wound complications in a variety of surgical incisions,” chief medical officer Dr. Ron Silverman said in a press release.
In May, Acelity said it launched its Prevena Duo incision management system in the US. The Prevena Duo is a single use negative pressure wound therapy system specifically designed for the simultaneous management of 2 closed surgical incisions, the company said.