Prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy after open ventral hernia repair: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Application of Closed Incision Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Ventral Hernia Repair Surgery Using a Polypropylene Mesh: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Objectives: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant complication following ventral hernia repair, potentially leading to prolonged hospital stays and increased morbidity. This study aimed to evaluate whether closed incision negative pressure wound therapy (ciNPWT) reduces the incidence of SSI after ventral hernia repair with polypropylene mesh compared to standard wound care. Materials and Methods: A randomized study was conducted with 100 patients undergoing ventral hernia repair using a polypropylene mesh. Participants were divided into two groups: a control group (n=50), which received standard sterile gauze dressing with an iodine-based disinfectant, and an intervention group (n=50), treated with the ciNPWT system (Vivano® by HARTMANN) for 5 days postoperatively. The primary outcome was the incidence of SSI within one year after surgery. Secondary outcomes included the influence of factors such as age, sex, smoking status, and hernia size on SSI occurrence. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee at the University Hospital Ostrava, adhering to the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration. Results: The incidence of SSI was lower in the ciNPWT group compared to the standard care group (4% vs. 12%), though this difference did not reach statistical significance. No significant effect of sex or smoking status on SSI was observed. The control group had a shorter mean length of hospital stay. Larger hernias in the non-ciNPWT group were more prone to SSIs, as expected. Conclusions: Although limited by a small sample size, the findings suggest that ciNPWT may be associated with a reduced rate of SSI following ventral hernia repair. Further studies with larger populations are needed to confirm these results.

Comparison of Medical Research Abstracts Written by Surgical Trainees and Senior Surgeons or Generated by Large Language Models

Importance

Artificial intelligence (AI) has permeated academia, especially OpenAI Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT), a large language model. However, little has been reported on its use in medical research.

Objective

To assess a chatbot's capability to generate and grade medical research abstracts.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this cross-sectional study, ChatGPT versions 3.5 and 4.0 (referred to as chatbot 1 and chatbot 2) were coached to generate 10 abstracts by providing background literature, prompts, analyzed data for each topic, and 10 previously presented, unassociated abstracts to serve as models. The study was conducted between August 2023 and February 2024 (including data analysis).

Exposure

Abstract versions utilizing the same topic and data were written by a surgical trainee or a senior physician or generated by chatbot 1 and chatbot 2 for comparison. The 10 training abstracts were written by 8 surgical residents or fellows, edited by the same senior surgeon, at a high-volume hospital in the Southeastern US with an emphasis on outcomes-based research. Abstract comparison was then based on 10 abstracts written by 5 surgical trainees within the first 6 months of their research year, edited by the same senior author.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome measurements were the abstract grades using 10- and 20-point scales and ranks (first to fourth). Abstract versions by chatbot 1, chatbot 2, junior residents, and the senior author were compared and judged by blinded surgeon-reviewers as well as both chatbot models. Five academic attending surgeons from Denmark, the UK, and the US, with extensive experience in surgical organizations, research, and abstract evaluation served as reviewers.

Results

Surgeon-reviewers were unable to differentiate between abstract versions. Each reviewer ranked an AI-generated version first at least once. Abstracts demonstrated no difference in their median (IQR) 10-point scores (resident, 7.0 [6.0-8.0]; senior author, 7.0 [6.0-8.0]; chatbot 1, 7.0 [6.0-8.0]; chatbot 2, 7.0 [6.0-8.0]; P = .61), 20-point scores (resident, 14.0 [12.0-7.0]; senior author, 15.0 [13.0-17.0]; chatbot 1, 14.0 [12.0-16.0]; chatbot 2, 14.0 [13.0-16.0]; P = .50), or rank (resident, 3.0 [1.0-4.0]; senior author, 2.0 [1.0-4.0]; chatbot 1, 3.0 [2.0-4.0]; chatbot 2, 2.0 [1.0-3.0]; P = .14). The abstract grades given by chatbot 1 were comparable to the surgeon-reviewers' grades. However, chatbot 2 graded more favorably than the surgeon-reviewers and chatbot 1. Median (IQR) chatbot 2-reviewer grades were higher than surgeon-reviewer grades of all 4 abstract versions (resident, 14.0 [12.0-17.0] vs 16.9 [16.0-17.5]; P = .02; senior author, 15.0 [13.0-17.0] vs 17.0 [16.5-18.0]; P = .03; chatbot 1, 14.0 [12.0-16.0] vs 17.8 [17.5-18.5]; P = .002; chatbot 2, 14.0 [13.0-16.0] vs 16.8 [14.5-18.0]; P = .04). When comparing the grades of the 2 chatbots, chatbot 2 gave higher median (IQR) grades for abstracts than chatbot 1 (resident, 14.0 [13.0-15.0] vs 16.9 [16.0-17.5]; P = .003; senior author, 13.5 [13.0-15.5] vs 17.0 [16.5-18.0]; P = .004; chatbot 1, 14.5 [13.0-15.0] vs 17.8 [17.5-18.5]; P = .003; chatbot 2, 14.0 [13.0-15.0] vs 16.8 [14.5-18.0]; P = .01).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cross-sectional study, trained chatbots generated convincing medical abstracts, undifferentiable from resident or senior author drafts. Chatbot 1 graded abstracts similarly to surgeon-reviewers, while chatbot 2 was less stringent. These findings may assist surgeon-scientists in successfully implementing AI in medical research.

Reducing the incidence of problematic seroma formation and skin necrosis post-lymphadenectomy: Triple action of topical tranexamic acid, negative pressure wound therapy, and prolonged drainage

BACKGROUND

Axillary and inguinal lymph node dissections are commonly associated with complications that often require additional interventions.

METHODS

Patients who underwent axillary or inguinal lymphadenectomy via standard procedures were compared to an intervention cohort of patients who underwent axillary or inguinal lymphadenectomy with the use of topical tranexamic acid (TXA) to the wound cavity, a PICO (Smith&Nephew UK) closed-incision negative pressure dressing, and discharged early with a drain in-situ.

RESULTS

Seventy-six patients in the control group (mean age 65.8 years, mean BMI 28.4 kg/m2) underwent open lymphadenectomy without topical TXA and a simple dressing. Seventy-eight patients were included in the intervention group (mean age 67.1 years, mean BMI 28.5 kg/m2). Patients in the intervention group had an inpatient stay of mean 5.6 days fewer than those in the control group (CI 3.09-5.31; p < .0001), an estimated saving to the healthcare trust of £ 3046.40 (US$3723.61) per patient in "bed days." They had longer drain duration (mean 15 days vs. 8.3 days); however, they had a statistically significant lower risk of seroma formation requiring drainage (6.4% vs. 21%; p = .009), and skin necrosis (0% vs. 6.6%; p = .027). They also had a lower risk of infection (17% vs. 29%), wound dehiscence (15% vs. 25%), and readmission (7.7% vs. 14%), although they were not statistically significant. Patients in the control group were more likely to receive antibiotics as inpatients (51% vs. 7.7%; p < .00001) and on discharge (24% vs. 5%; p < .0011) than those in the intervention group.

CONCLUSIONS

Topical TXA, PICO dressing, and early discharge with a drain following lymphadenectomy results in a reduced rate of complications.

The ACS-NSQIP Analysis of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Following Pancreatectomy for Pancreatic Diagnoses

Introduction Surgical site infections (SSIs) continue to be a challenging issue among patients undergoing pancreatectomy. Anecdotally, the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) following pancreatectomy for cancer has been associated with decreased SSIs. The objective of this study was to compare the postoperative outcomes of NPWT and non-NPWT for incisional wound care following distal pancreatectomy or pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic diagnoses using a national surgical database. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) was queried from 2005 to 2019 for patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy or pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic diagnoses using primary Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. The primary outcome was surgical site infection rates between NPWT and non-NPWT patient groups. Secondary outcomes include sepsis, septic shock, readmission, and reoperation. Outcomes of interest were compared using multivariate logistic regression. Results A total of 54,457 patients underwent pancreatectomy with 131 receiving NPWT. Multivariate analysis, while accounting for patient characteristics, including wound classification, showed no difference in postoperative superficial SSI, deep SSI, sepsis, septic shock, or readmission between the NPWT and non-NPWT groups. Organ space SSI was higher in the NPWT group (21% vs 12%, p=0.001). Reoperation related to procedure was also high in the NPWT group (14% vs 4.3%, p<0.001). Conclusion The use of NPWT in distal pancreatectomies and pancreatoduodenectomies is associated with increased organ space SSIs and reoperation rates, with no difference in superficial SSI, deep SSI, or readmission. This large sample study shows no significant benefit of using NPWT incisional wound care after pancreatectomy.

PROphylactic closed incision Negative-PRESSure treatment in open incisional hernia repair: Protocol for a multicenter randomized trial (PROPRESS study)

Background

Negative Pressure Therapy in closed incisions (ciNPT) after surgery has shown positive effects including reduction of Surgical Site Infection (SSI) incidence. In patients undergoing elective open incisional hernia repair, however, ciNPT is not standard care, perhaps due to high-quality evidence still not provided. This study hypothesizes that this patient group would benefit from ciNPT by reducing wound complications and improving postoperative quality of life.

Method

This is a multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) including a total of 110 patients allocated in a 1:1 ratio with one intervention arm and one active control arm receiving ciNPT (i.e., Prevena™) and standard wound dressing, respectively. The primary outcome is the incidence of SSI at 30 days postoperatively and secondary outcomes are 1) pooled incidence of Surgical Site Occurrence (SSO), 2) patient-reported pain and satisfaction with the scar, and 3) hernia-related quality of life.

Conclusion

Patients undergoing elective open incisional hernia repair are fragile with a high risk of wound complication development. This multicenter RCT seeks to deliver the high-quality evidence needed to establish the role ciNPT must play for exactly this group with the aim of reducing SSI incidence and health economic costs, and finally improving quality of life. There are no theoretical or clinical experience of unwanted consequences of this treatment.

Efficacy of prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy after open ventral hernia repair: a systematic review meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The susceptibility to surgical site occurrence (SSO) is high following ventral hernia repair (VHR) surgery. SSO severely increases the physical and mental burden on patients. The main purpose of this review was to analyze the efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) after open VHR(OVHR) and explore benefits to patients.

METHODS

The Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase databases were searched from the date of establishment to 15 October 2022. All randomized controlled trials and retrospective cohort studies comparing NPWT with standard dressings after OVHR were included. The Revman 5.4 software recommended by Cochrane and the STATA16 software were used in this meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies (involving 1666 patients) were identified and included in the meta-analysis, with 821 patients receiving NPWT. Overall, the incidence rate of SSO in the NPWT group was lower compared to the control group (odds ratio [OR] = 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.21-0.93; I2 = 86%; P = 0.03). The occurrence rate of surgical site infection (SSI; OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.38-0.68, P < 0.001), wound dehiscence (OR = 0.64; 95% CI = 0. 43-0.96; P = 0.03), and hernia recurrence (OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.28-0.91, P = 0.02) was also lowered. There was no significant difference in seroma (OR = 0.76; 95% CI = 0.54-1.06; P = 0.11), hematoma (OR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.25-1.11; P = 0.09), or skin necrosis (OR = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.47-1.46; P = 0.52).

CONCLUSION

NPWT can effectively decrease the occurrence of SSO, SSI wound dehiscence and hernia recurrence and should be considered following OVHR.

Influence of Closed-incision Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on Abdominal Site Complications in Autologous Breast Reconstruction

Background

Closed-incision negative pressure wound therapy (ciNPWT) has shown promise in reducing surgical wound complications. Among its numerous benefits, it allows for exudate management and tension offloading from wound edges. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of prophylactic ciNPWT versus conventional dressings on abdominal donor site complications in microsurgical breast reconstruction (MR).

Methods

A systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines in January 2023. PubMed and Embase were searched to identify all relevant studies. Data collected included rates of total wound complications, wound dehiscence, infection, seroma, and length of hospital stay.

Results

A total of 202 articles were screened, and eight studies (1009 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Use of ciNPWT was associated with a significantly lower rate of wound dehiscence (OR, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.33-0.85; P = 0.0085, I2 = 0%). There was no significant difference in the rate of total wound complications [odds ratio (OR), 0.63; 95% CI, 0.35-1.14; P = 0.12, I2 = 69%], donor site infection (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.42-1.50; P = 0.47, I2 = 13%), seroma (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.22-2.49; P = 0.63, I2 = 57%), or length of hospital stay (SMD, 0.089; 95% CI, -0.13-0.35; P = 0.37, I2 = 29%).

Conclusions

Although exudate management by ciNPWT fails to reduce surgical site infection, seroma formation, and overall length of stay, ciNPWT tension offloading properties seem to be associated with lower rates of wound dehiscence when compared with conventional dressings in abdominal-based autologous breast reconstruction.

The European Hernia Society Prehabilitation Project: A Systematic Review of Intra-Operative Prevention Strategies for Surgical Site Occurrences in Ventral Hernia Surgery

Background

Ventral hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide. To reduce the risk of complications, pre- and intra-operative strategies have received increasing focus in recent years. To assess possible preventive surgical strategies, this European Hernia Society endorsed project was launched. The aim of this review was to evaluate the current literature focusing on pre- and intra-operative strategies for surgical site occurrences (SSO) and specifically surgical site infection (SSI) in ventral hernia repair.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted and reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Databases used were Pubmed and Web of Science. Original retrospective or prospective human adult studies describing at least one intra-operative intervention to reduce SSO after ventral hernia repair were considered eligible.

Results

From a total of 4775 results, a total of 18 papers were considered suitable after full text reading. Prehospital chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) scrub appears to increase the risk of SSO in patients undergoing ventral hernia repair, while there is no association between any type of surgical hat worn and the incidence of postoperative wound events. Intraoperative measures as prophylactic negative pressure therapy, surgical drain placement and the use of quilt sutures seem beneficial for decreasing the incidence of SSO and/or SSI. No positive effect has been shown for antibiotic soaking of a synthetic mesh, nor for the use of fibrin sealants.

Conclusion

This review identified a limited amount of literature describing specific preventive measures and techniques during ventral hernia repair. An advantage of prophylactic negative pressure therapy in prevention of SSI was observed, but different tools to decrease SSIs and SSOs continuously further need our full attention to improve patient outcomes and to lower overall costs.