Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) has been available since 1986 and is widely used in acute and primary care.
Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is often viewed as an expensive therapy by clinicians and commissioners (Ousey and Milne, 2010). It is often the therapy of choice for the management of complex wounds and symptom control (Chariker et al, 1989). To ensure optimum wound care for the patient and cost-effectiveness, a database was developed by Smith and Nephew and three senior tissue viability nurses from community trusts to track wound care outcomes in three primary care trusts. The data from this tracker has provided essential information for clinicians, as well as showing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of NPWT.
