A randomized,prospective,controlled study of forearm donor site healing when using a vacuum dressing

Objective: 1) Compare skin graft healing of the radial forearm free flap (RFFF) donor site when using a negative pressure dressing (NPD) versus a static pressure dressing (SPD). 2) Examine the association of graft size and medical comorbidities with healing of RFFF donor site.

Study Design: Randomized, controlled trial.

Setting: Tertiary care hospital.

Subjects and Methods: After the study was approved, consenting adults undergoing RFFF for head and neck reconstructions were randomized into two arms: SPD and NPD groups. Fifty-four patients were enrolled from March 2007 to August 2009. Pre- and postoperative data were collected, including medical comorbidities, graft size, and area of graft failure/tendon exposure. Data were collected at two postoperative time points.

Results: The overall wound complication rate was 38 percent (19/50). Wound complications at the first postoperative visit (44.4% [12/27] SPD and 30.4% [7/23] NPD) were not significantly different between groups (P = 0.816). Similarly, wound complications at the second visit (68.8% [11/16] SPD and 80% [12/15] NPD) were not significantly different (P = 0.55). Percentage of area of graft failure between the groups also showed no difference (4.5% SPD vs 7.2% NPD, P = 0.361). The association of graft size with wound complications was analyzed by dividing the data set into three groups (<50 cm², 51-100 cm², and >100 cm²). This difference was not found to be significant (P = 0.428). Finally, when evaluating comorbidities, 50 percent (8/16) of subjects with comorbidities experienced complications compared with 32.4 percent (11/34) without comorbidities, also not reaching significance (P = 0.203).

Conclusions: Although an attractive option for wound care, the NPD does not appear to offer a significant improvement over an SPD in healing of the RFFF donor site.