2019 AAOS Annual Meeting: Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Devices Improve Short-Term Wound Complications, but Not Long-Term Infection Rate Following Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

398 patients were randomized to receive incisional negative pressure wound therapy (iNPWT) or standard post-operative care following a total joint arthroplasty (TJA). The outcomes of interest included drainage volume, complications, and wound-related outcomes. The results from the study found no significant difference in infection rates between the two groups. The iNPWT group displayed significantly more wound drainage, and moderate to severe incisional drainage, at 7 days compared to standard post-op care. High BMI (>35kg/m2) TKA patients experienced fewer complications and dressing related complications when treated with iNPWT. There were no significant differences between the iNPWT and standard post-op care groups in the incidence of dressing-related complications or use of oral anti-biotics.