Efficacy and safety of negative wound pressure in the treatment of surgical complications after radical cystectomy: a retrospective cohort study

Background: Negative pressure wound treatment (NPWT) is a relatively new, but promising method for management of surgical site infection (SSI). The literature data on the use of NPWT for complications in oncology surgery, and after radical cystectomy (RC) in particular, is scarce. Aim: To evaluate the short-term results of NPWT dressings in the management of SSI after RC. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 446 patients who had RC with various uroderivation types in the Department of Oncourology of the N. N. Petrov National Medical Research Center of Oncology from January 2012 to December 2021. A total of 62 cases of SSI emerging up to day 30 after RC were identified with complete data. Thirty six (36) cases of SSI were managed according to standard procedures, and 26 patients with SSI were treated with NPWT (VivanoTec® S 042) at constant negative pressure mode. The physical condition of the patients before RC was assessed according to the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) classification, and the severity of the patient's condition at SSI diagnosis within APACHE II scale. The following parameters were also analyzed: body mass index, median number of days in the hospital, number of program wound sanitations (surgical debridement) or frequency of changing NPWT dressings, changes over time in C-reactive protein and leukocyte index of intoxication, and events of clinical interest (intestinal fistulas and lateralization of the median wound margins, hernias). Results: Most cases of post-RC SSIs were identified in men (57/62, 91.93%). The standard management and NPWT study groups were well balanced for age, body mass index, and ASA physical status. The median time from the first surgical debridement of the wound to its closure was significantly shorter in the standard surgical management group: 4 days (0; 8.75) versus 8.5 days (3.25; 12.0) in the NPWT group (p = 0.026). However, this did not negatively affect the length of hospitalization (28.08 ± 12.80 and 30.03 ± 16.27 days, respectively, p = 0.599). The 30-day mortality rates were not significantly different between the groups (p = 0.137). In our series with NPWT dressings, there were no cases of intestinal fistulas in the early and late postoperative periods. Conclusion: Negative pressure wound treatment is a safe and effective method of SSI management. It is not inferior to the generally accepted treatment standard with surgical wound debridement, staged sanitations or dressings. NPWT dressings allow for early primary muscular-fascial closure of the abdominal cavity and does not increase the duration of hospital stay, postoperative death rates and the risk of intestinal fistulas.