Negative pressure wound therapy for the open abdomen

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Negative pressure wound therapy for the open abdomen.

This guidance updates and replaces NICE interventional procedure guidance 322 (December 2009).

Description

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for the open abdomen may be used in the management of patients with an open abdominal wound (laparostomy) when the gut and other intraperitoneal organs are exposed. The abdomen is left open as part of the surgical treatment of complex intra-abdominal problems that make closure difficult, such as severe sepsis, abdominal trauma and after grafting of ruptured aortic aneurysms.

First-line management of the open abdomen may include use of dressings or impermeable devices (e.g. Bogota bag) to protect the exposed organs and limit leakage of fluid. The abdomen may be left to heal by secondary intention or delayed closure may be done using sutures, mesh repair, skin grafts, muscle flaps or a combination of these. The choice of closure technique depends on the size of the wound and other clinical considerations.

Coding and clinical classification codes for this guidance.