Negative pressure wound therapy as a „bridge” for the final reconstruction of tissue defect following a degloving injury of the forearm – a case report

Abstract

Degloving injuries are traumatic avulsions usually resulting in large areas of soft tissue defects. The injury involves separation of skin and subcutaneous tissue from fascia and muscles. The complex nature of these injuries requires a patient-oriented multidisciplinary surgical approach and a wide variety of therapeutic options. Negative pressure wound therapy can be of benefit at every stage of the long-lasting treatment. In this paper, we present a case of a 29-year-old male after an occupational accident with a conveyor belt leading to a degloving injury of the right forearm treated in the Department of Plastic Surgery of the Medical University in Gdańsk. The use of NPWT, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, dermal regeneration templates, skin grafting, and early rehabilitation resulted in an excellent functional and aesthetic outcome.

Keywords

• degloving injury
• negative pressure wound therapy
• dermal matrix