Abstract
In Japan, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has become an important wound management technique since a NPWT device was approved for use under the Japanese national health insurance system. On the other hand, its utility for treating infected sites is limited because it results in the formation of a semi-enclosed environment and can even exacerbate infections in some cases. Recently, a device with combined NPWT and irrigation functions has been introduced in other countries, although it has not yet been approved for use under the Japanese national health insurance system. We produced a custom NPWT device that allows continuous irrigation and used a preexisting NPWT instrument as a motor source. The system enables patients to retain their ability to perform activities of daily living. The system is able to create stable negative pressure environments while providing continuous focal irrigation, which are associated with good wound bed preparation. Here, we describe the construction of the system.
