Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Versus Closed Suction Irrigation System in the Treatment of Deep Surgical Site Infection After Lumbar Surgery

Abstract

Objective: We compared the efficacy of a closed suction irrigation system (CSIS) and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for deep surgical site infection (SSI) after lumbar surgery with instrumentation.

Methods: We included 31 patients (NPWT group, n =16; CSIS group, n = 15) with deep SSIs after lumbar surgery with instrumentation from 2007 to 2017. The medical records were reviewed and patient characteristics, laboratory results, infection details, and treatment interventions were recorded. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association score and Oswestry disability index were used to assess pain and functional outcomes preoperatively and 3 and 12 months postoperatively. The cost of SSIs were compared between the NPWT and CSIS groups.

Results: No significant differences were found in the baseline characteristic data between the NPWT and CSIS groups. Implants were retained in all patients in the CSIS group, but required removal from 2 patients with late infections in the NPWT group. The average hospital stay was 36.8 ± 10.5 days and 33.4 ± 18.9 days in the NPWT and CSIS groups, respectively. The cost was greater in the NPWT group than in the CSIS group. Both NPWT and CSIS significantly reduced the Oswestry disability index and improved the Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores, but no significant difference was found between the 2 groups.

Conclusions: Our results have shown that both NPWT and CSIS are efficient techniques for the management of deep SSI after lumbar surgery with instrumentation. CSIS was more economical and the NPWT system was portable and easier for postoperative nursing care.

Keywords: Closed suction irrigation system; Lumbar; Negative pressure wound therapy; Spine; Surgical site infection.