Comparison of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Using Vacuum-Assisted Closure with Advanced Moist Wound Therapy in the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) using Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) compared with Advanced Moist Wound Therapy (AMWT) to treat Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU). Study Design: Randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: Surgical Department, Combined Military Hospital (CMH) / Military Hospital (MH), Rawalpindi, from November 2010 to June 2012. Methodology: The study consisted of 278 patients, with 139 patients each in Group 'A' and 'B', who were subjected to AMWT and NPWT, respectively. Wound was assessed digitally every week for 2 weeks. Wound dimension and surface area were determined using University of Texas Health Centre at San Antonio (UTHCSA) image tool version 3.0. Efficacies of AMWT and NPWT were compared in terms of reduction in wound area over 2 weeks. Results: Mean age of presentation in group A was 55.88 +/- 10.97 years while in group B, it was 56.83 +/- 11.3 (p=0.48). Mean duration of diabetes at presentation was 15.65 +/- 4.86 and 15.96 +/- 5.79 years in group A and B, respectively (p=0.74). Majority of patients had Wagner's grade 2 ulcer (82% in group A and 87.8% in group B, p = 0.18). Initial wound size in group A was 15.07 +/- 2.92 cm(2) and in group B 15.09 +/- 2.81 cm(2) (p = 0.95). Wound size measured after 2 weeks, treatment was in group A 13.70 +/- 2.92 cm(2) and in group B 11.53 +/- 2.78 cm(2) (p < 0.001). Wound area reduction in both groups revealed statistically significant faster healing in group B as compared to group A (p < 0.001). Conclusion: NPWT using VAC was more efficacious than AMWT in the management of diabetic foot ulcers.