ReviewEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2018
The use of vacuum-assisted closure in spinal wound infections with or without exposed dura.
Review in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 30 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy in treating deep surgical site infections after spine surgery: a meta-analysis of single-arm studies.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025Pooled it
- Negative pressure wound therapy in the management of postoperative spinal wound infections: a systematic review.European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie · 2024Pooled it
- Suppurative Spondylitis Misdiagnosed as Endplate Inflammation: A Rare Case Report.Clinical case reports · 2025Article
- Prevention and Management of Posterior Wound Complications Following Oncologic Spine Surgery: Narrative Review of Available Evidence and Proposed Clinical Decision-Making Algorithm.Global spine journal · 2025Article
- Vacuum assisted closure and local drug delivery systems in spinal infections: A review of current evidence.North American Spine Society journal · 2023Article
- Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Spinal Surgery.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Negative pressure wound therapy in cases of spinal surgery and exposed dura: a case-based review.Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery · 2021Review
- The use of incisional vacuum-assisted closure system following one-stage incision suture combined with continuous irrigation to treat early deep surgical site infection after posterior lumbar fusion with instrumentation.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2021Article
- The Historical Role of the Plastic Surgeon in Spine Reconstruction.Seminars in plastic surgery · 2021Review
- Multilayer Mattress Stitches for Complicated Wounds in Spine Surgery.Spine surgery and related research · 2021Article
- Surgical revision strategies for postoperative spinal implant infections (PSII).Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong) · 2020Review
- Effects of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on Wound Dehiscence and Surgical Site Infection Following Instrumented Spinal Fusion Surgery-A Single Surgeon's Experience.World neurosurgery · 2020Article
- Strategies of management of deep spinal infection: from irrigation and debridement to vacuum-assisted closure treatment.Annals of translational medicine · 2020Review
- Vacuum-assisted closure combined with a closed suction irrigation system for treating postoperative wound infections following posterior spinal internal fixation.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe treatment of postoperative deep spinal wound infection involves debridement and intravenous antibiotics. Authors have previously reported success in a small series of patients treated with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy, but its use over exposed dura is controversial and the outcome has not been reported in large series. PURPOSE: To review the outcomes following the treatment of postoperative spinal infections with VAC therapy, particularly those with exposed dura.
methodsThis is a review of prospectively collected data in 42 patients, all of whom had deep postoperative spinal infections. 30 of these patients had exposed dura. All patients had an initial debridement followed by application of VAC Whitefoam (with exposed dura) or grey Granufoam (where no dura was exposed). Pressure was set at 50 mmHg with exposed dura or 125 mmHg where no dura was exposed. All patients underwent a minimum 6 week course of antibiotics. We report on the number of visits to theatre required for dressing changes and debridement and the eventual outcomes.
resultsFive patients required a flap reconstruction. Two patients died before definitive final closure due to other complications (pneumonia and stroke). In all the other patients, their wounds healed fully. A mean of 2.3 infection surgeries were required to eradicate infection and achieve wound closure.
conclusionsThis is one of the largest studies which confirms the safety and efficacy of VAC dressings in patients with spinal wound infections, even when the dura is exposed. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.