Clinical Outcome of Vacuum Assisted Dressing and Conventional Saline Dressings in Management of Chronic Non-Healing Ulcers – A Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

Background: Chronic non-healing ulcers are among the most common reasons for hospital admissions in surgical wards. These ulcers are challenging to treat, even when the underlying cause is identified, due to coexisting factors such as diabetes mellitus and infection.

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes of vacuum-assisted wound dressing with conventional saline dressing in patients with non-healing ulcers.

Methods: This hospital-based, randomized controlled study was conducted over a period of 18 months among patients over 18 years of age with non-healing ulcers persisting for more than 3 weeks. These patients were admitted to the inpatient services of the Department of General Surgery at AVMC&H. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A, receiving vacuum-assisted dressing, and Group B, receiving conventional saline dressing. The study evaluated wound healing rates, granulation tissue formation, culture reports, and the total duration of hospital stay.

Results: A total of 66 patients were included, with a mean age of 54.63 ± 9.36 years, and an equal distribution of male and female participants. There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics between the groups (p > 0.05). The results showed a significantly higher wound healing rate in Group A compared to Group B (p < 0.05). Additionally, Group A had significantly better outcomes in terms of sterile pus culture and shorter hospital stays compared to Group B (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Vacuum-assisted wound dressing was associated with a shorter overall hospital stay, improved sterility of pus cultures, and superior wound healing rates and granulation tissue formation, as compared to conventional saline dressing for non-healing ulcers.