NPWT is well reported to facilitate increased wound healing rates within human medicine. It is now increasingly being used in veterinary wound management [ 6 ]( Figures 3 – 5).
This review aims to compile currently available literature examining the use of NPWT in the management of canine patients to ascertain its validity, safety and feasibility, as well as to identify areas requiring further research.
Figure 3. An example of a patient undergoing NPWT on a wound on the hindleg. Image: Royal Veterinary College.
Critical evaluation of evidence
Case reports
While NPWT is well established within human medicine, there remains a paucity of primary research into its efficacy in the management of canine wound healing. Early studies, such as that by Morykwas et al. [ 5 ], utilised porcine models, and only recently has largerscale prospective research been undertaken within veterinary medicine. However, numerous case reports have described the use of NPWT in canine wound management, providing preliminary insights into its potential applications and limitations.
Figure 4. NPWT dressing on the patient shown in Figure 3. Image: Royal Veterinary College.
Mullally et al. [ 7 ] attribute the formation of a healthy granulation bed in a severely burned dog to the application of NPWT. However, the patient displayed signs of pain associated with the device, raising concerns regarding its impact on patient welfare. Nolff et al. [ 8 ] detail the postoperative care of a dachshund following a perforating thoracic wound. In this case report, NPWT appeared to promote the formation of granulation tissue and restoration of an airtight thoracic cavity. More recently, Mastrocco and Prittie [ 9 ] documented the successful combination of NPWT and aggressive surgical debridement in three cases of necrotising fasciitis, echoing the positive outcomes in two similarly presenting canine patients reported by Maguire et al. [ 10 ].
Such case reports highlight isolated successes and provide only limited, anecdotal evidence supporting NPWT, which is inherently subject to bias. However, although case reports lack the rigour of controlled primary research, their findings often precede larger-scale research, highlighting areas in need of investigative clinical validation.
Preclinical research
Figure 5. The same patient ' s wound before( left) and after( right) NPWT. Images: Royal Veterinary College.
In 2011, Demaria et al. [ 11 ] conducted prospective preclinical research investigating the effects of NPWT on canine open wounds. Wounds 4 cm × 2 cm in size were created on the bilateral antebrachia of 10 adult male coonhounds, a methodology that, although ethically contentious, minimises confounding variables caused by wound heterogeneity. Wounds were randomly assigned to receive either NPWT or standard absorbent
46 Veterinary Nursing Journal