Evaluation of Wound Care and Health-Care Use Costs in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers Treated with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Versus Advanced Moist Wound Therapy

摘要

A retrospective analysis was conducted of the records of 324 patients who presented with a grade 2 or 3 calcaneal, dorsal, or plantar foot ulcer with an area greater than 2 cm and participated in a 16 week randomized controlled study to compare the cost and effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy and advanced moist wound therapy. For the study, the patients were randomized into two groups: 162 to a group to be treated with negative pressure wound therapy and 162 to a group to be treated with advanced moist wound therapy. The mean age of those in the negative pressure group was 58 years, 136 were male and 147 had Type II diabetes. The mean age of those in the moist therapy group was 59 years, 120 were male, and 148 had Type II diabetes. Negative pressure wound therapy was performed at least 3 times per week using a V.A.C. Therapy System (KCI USA, Inc., San Antonio, Texas).