Negative pressure wound therapy made simple: expert panel recommendations

Portou M, Bernaerts K, Bassetto F, Cherubino M, Collier M, Hirche C, Horch RE, Mall JW, O’ Brien G, Piaggesi A, Porter C, Probst S, Rashid ST, Trivedi S (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Journal of Wound Care Emap Healthcare Ltd.

Book Volume: 35

Pages Range: 292-298

Journal Issue: 4

DOI: 10.12968/jowc.2025.0149

Abstract

Objective: Wound management poses a substantial economic burden, and the prevalence of hard-to-heal (chronic) wounds is a growing health concern. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), with and without instillation, is an adjunctive therapy commonly used to manage acute and hard-to-heal wounds and has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes. The variety of NPWT modalities, patient needs, wound characteristics and care requirements can make selecting the optimal system challenging, leading to uncertainty and inconsistent practices among new users, increasing the risk of suboptimal outcomes. This article provides practical guidance to help new NPWT users make confident, evidence-based decisions. Method: An expert panel was convened in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in November 2023 to review published treatment guidelines and the current literature and to develop simplified recommendations on the use of NPWT in hospital and community care settings. Results: Expert panel members discussed published wound management evidence and their real-world experiences as wound management specialists to generate recommendations for healthcare professionals to aid them in the selection of NPWT modalities. Conclusion: This summary presents nine expert panel recommendations, including simplified risk assessment algorithms and guidance to improve NPWT use across clinical settings. Declaration of interest: ST is an employee of Solventum. All other authors have consulting agreements with Solventum. Funding for the advisory panel meeting was provided by Solventum. The authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare.

Authors with CRIS profile

Raymund Horch Medizinische Fakultät

Involved external institutions

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust / Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust GB United Kingdom (GB) University Hospital Leuven (UZ) / Universitaire ziekenhuizen Leuven BE Belgium (BE) University of Padua / Universita degli Studi di Padova IT Italy (IT) Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi LLC AE United Arab Emirates (AE) University of Lincoln GB United Kingdom (GB) Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main DE Germany (DE) Naas General Hospital (NGH) IE Ireland (IE) University of Pisa / Università di Pisa (UniPi) IT Italy (IT) University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust GB United Kingdom (GB) Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale (HES-SO) / Fachhochschule Westschweiz CH Switzerland (CH) Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) GB United Kingdom (GB) Klinikum Region Hannover DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Portou, M., Bernaerts, K., Bassetto, F., Cherubino, M., Collier, M., Hirche, C.,... Trivedi, S. (2026). Negative pressure wound therapy made simple: expert panel recommendations. Journal of Wound Care, 35(4), 292-298. https://doi.org/10.12968/jowc.2025.0149

MLA:

Portou, Mark, et al. "Negative pressure wound therapy made simple: expert panel recommendations." Journal of Wound Care 35.4 (2026): 292-298.

BibTeX: Download