Vacuum-Assisted Closure Therapy in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation With Necessity to Maintain Open Abdomen.

BACKGROUND: Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been recognized as a valid method of temporary abdominal closure. The role of open abdomen (OA) in the management of abdominal sepsis has been a controversial issue. Recent experimental and clinical studies have indicated that vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) is associated with superior outcomes in the treatment of OA conditions, but sufficient proof of efficacy and effectiveness is lacking.

METHODS: We enrolled in this observational study all patients who had undergone liver transplantation (LT) for all causes between 2007 and 2014 in whom we needed to use VAC therapy, describing the pathology that led to the complication, length of hospitalization, graft survival, microbial identifications, and causes of death.

RESULTS: We enrolled 11 patients-6 men (55%) and 5 women (45%), from 41.92 to 64.96 years old (mean, 57.62 ± 6.56 years) -who went to LT for different pathologies. The mean hospital stay was 56.72 ± 36.40 days (range, 8-133 days). Graft survival was 35.65 ± 31.61 months (range, 1.51-89.19 months). Six of 11 patients died (55%) of different causes; in particular, 4 patients died 1 to 3 months after the procedures that led to the condition of OA for septic shock and subsequent multi-organ failure.

CONCLUSIONS: Complications related to the use of NPWT, such as painful management and bleeding, are rare and mild when the device is used properly. Although studies are needed to verify the real cost/benefit ratio in this application of VAC therapy, we consider it a useful means to treat the OA condition.