Smith & Nephew (FTSE:SN, NYSE:SNN) reported that its PICO negative-pressure wound therapy resulted in fewer healing complications when applied after breast-reduction surgery.
The results were presented at the Sixth European Symposium of Aesthetic Surgery of the Breast in Milan.
The PICO study tracked 200 bilateral breast-reduction patients at 6 medical centers in the U.S., Europe and South Africa. Results showed that women who were treated with the PICO NPWT system had fewer wound complications, including a 38% relative reduction in wound rupturing, also known as surgical dehiscence, along the suture line.
“This surgical procedure has a relatively high frequency of post-operative complications, particularly in patients overweight or obese, where the percentage ranges from 21.6% to 35%,” said the Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Risal Djohan, during his presentation of the study at the symposium.
“The study data also suggests that the incidence of delayed healing and dehiscence increases with the weight of the tissue removed. For a patient group with high expectations, PICO presents surgeons with a real opportunity to reduce surgical incision complications and improve the aesthetic outcome,” Djohan added.