Expert Clinical Guidelines Developed in Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

AMSTERDAM, June 20, 2011 -

For the third year, the International Negative Pressure Wound
Therapy Expert Panel (NPWT-EP) convened in Amsterdam to develop
clinical guidelines for the medical community on the use of NPWT.
 This year’s focus was to update 250 healthcare professionals
on the publication status of the guidelines and to develop a
consensus on open questions in four key indications: acute wounds,
chronic wounds, infected wounds and open abdomen. The group also
reviewed the segment of single-use NPWT devices and discussed their
potential for additional indications. “There has been a significant
amount of clinical adaptation of NPWT in the last 10 years,” says
Professor Norbert Runkel of the University of Freiburg, Germany,
and Chair of the NPWT-EP. “But we have conflicting recommendations
from various systematic reviews on what wounds are best treated
with NPWT. As new devices are introduced and the number of patients
who can be treated with NPWT expands, our treatment recommendations
will provide practitioners with a clear consensus on best
practices.”

Last year’s meeting resulted in the recent publication of
evidence-based recommendations for the use of NPWT in traumatic
wounds and reconstructive surgery in the journal Injury (45
(2011)S1-S12), where the global panel developed 12 important
recommendations: four for soft tissue trauma and open fracture
injuries, one for burn injuries, three for flaps and four for skin
grafts.

“This publication is a turning point for us,” says Prof. Runkel.
“It’s the result of several months of hard work, and is the first
of three papers, which are providing, possibly for the first time,
a comprehensive list of evidence-based recommendations for the use
of NPWT.” A second paper on NPWT treatment variables is in press
while the soon-to-be-published recommendations on the use of NPWT
in chronic wounds were presented at the recent European Wound
Management Association Congress in Brussels (24-27 May 2011).

Concluding the 2-day session, the group discussed the new
segment of ultra-portable NPWT devices in a session where Prof.
Malin Malmsjo (Lund University, Sweden) and Prof. Donald Hudson
(University of Cape Town, South Africa), also presented the
preclinical and clinical results obtained on a new single-use NPWT
device, PICO* (Smith & Nephew Wound Management, UK). Recently
launched in the EU, the PICO system allows effective fluid
management directly through the dressing, eliminating canisters and
expanding negative pressure to a wider number of patients. PICO is
indicated for acute and chronic wounds, high-risk surgical
incisions and skin grafts.

The International Negative Pressure
Wound Therapy Expert Panel (NPWT-EP)

The NPWT-EP was initiated in 2009 to develop guidelines that
meet the pressing need for evidence-based techniques in the growing
field of NPWT.  The panel, chaired by Professor Norbert Runkel
of the University of Freiburg, consists of 22 clinicians and
scientists from around the world with an active interest in NPWT in
a wide range of indications.  The NPWT-EP is an educational
initiative supported by the Advanced Wound Management Division of
Smith & Nephew, Inc., a subsidiary of Smith & Nephew plc.
(LSE: SN; NYSE: SNN)

Inquiries
Mary Heather              
           
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide      
+1 646 359 1193
Mary.Heather@ogilvypr.com

Roland Renyi              
           
Open City Limited              
       
+44 20 7357 6153
roland@opencitylimited.com

^[*]Trademark of Smith & Nephew.  Certain
marks registered US Patent and Trademark Office.

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