A systematic review with meta‐analysis on prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy versus standard dressing for obese women after caesarean section

Abstract

Abstract Aims The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in obese women undergoing caesarean section. Design An updated review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. Methods PubMed, Embase, Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception up to March 2022 without restriction in language. We chose surgical site infection as the primary outcome. Results NPWT resulted in a lower surgical site infection rate compared with conventional dressing (risk ratio [RR] = 0.76). The infection rate after low transverse incision was lower comparing the NPWT group with the control group ([RR] = 0.76). No statistically significant difference was detected in blistering([RR] = 2.91). The trial sequential analysis did not support the 20% relative decrease in surgical site infection in the NPWT group. (type II error of 20%).

Keywords

• caesarean section
• meta‐analysis
• negative‐pressure wound therapy
• nursing care
• obesity
• randomized controlled trial