Efficacy of skin flap transfer combined with negative pressure wound therapy in the management of complex pressure ulcers

Abstract

Aim To evaluate outcomes of adding skin-flap transfer to negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for complex pressure ulcers.Methods and material Twenty-nine patients (Aug 2018–Sep 2022) were divided into control (debridement + NPWT, n = 14) and observation (same plus flap transfer, n = 15). One-year follow-up compared healing rates, healing time, postoperative stay, total stay, cost, Zarit caregiver burden, SF-36 quality of life, complications and recurrence.Results Healing rates, healing time, postoperative stay, complications and recurrence did not differ (p > 0.05). Observation group had shorter total stay, lower costs, reduced caregiver burden and better SF-36 scores (p < 0.05).Conclusions Skin-flap transfer combined with NPWT safely treats complex pressure ulcers, improving quality of life, reducing caregiver load and overall costs without increasing complications or recurrence.

Keywords

• Debridement
• negative pressure wound therapy
• pressure ulcer
• quality of life
• repair
• skin flap transfer