What is the clinical and cost-effectiveness of vacuum assisted wound closure (VAC) therapy for wound management?
Bottom-line conclusion: Based on the evidence to-date, the clinical effectiveness of VAC therapy in wound management is unclear. More rigorous RCTs assessing the use of VAC therapy on different types of wounds are required along with an independent economic evaluation from an NHS/UK perspective. Evidence identified: • Evans D, Land L. Topical negative pressure for treating chronic wounds. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2001, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD001898. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001898 • Fisher A, Brady B. Vacuum assisted wound closure therapy. Ottawa: Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment (CCOHTA); 2003 • Higgins S. The effectiveness of vacuum assisted closure (VAC) in wound healing Clayton, Victoria: Centre for Clinical Effectiveness (CCE); 2003 • Pham C, Middleton P, Maddern G. Vacuum-assisted closure for the management of wounds: an accelerated systematic review. Stepney, SA: Australian Safety and Efficacy Register of New Interventional Procedures
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