Incision management

As the number of surgical interventions rise each year, substantial numbers of patients develop Surgical Site Infections (SSI) and other incisional complications which pose a threat to post-operative outcomes. SSI’s can lead to healing complications including: haematoma, seroma and dehiscence which are associated with increased morbidity and increased health care related costs causing a significant impact on care providers and patients.

Closed-incision Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (ciNPWT) has now emerged as prophylatic option to reduce the risk of surgical site complications.

ConvaTec Surgical Solutions powered by Hydrofiber^® Technology can help you in the challenge to prevent Surgical Site Complications.

21.8%

of all health care associated infections are SSI’s¹
€5,886

median cost per patient attributable to an SSI³
x2

almost doubled health care related costs due to SSI⁴

500,000

people are affected by SSI’s in the EU per year²
€19bn

costs attributed to SSI’s in the EU per year²

Incisional complications can be costly:

10 days

estimated increase length of stay attributable to SSI²
3x

tripled mortality rate⁵

5x

increased likelihood of readmission⁴

Impacts of SSIs on the health care system and patients:

Harness the power of Closed-Incision Negative Pressure Wound Therapy to avoid the impact of SSI’s.

Adapted from: World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS) Consensus Document. Closed surgical incision management: understanding the role of NPWT. Wounds International, 2016 s. 19

Effects of NPWT on Closed Incisions⁶

The mechanism of action of closed incision NPWT has multiple benefits:⁷

Reduces incision line tension
Decreases oedema
Provides an airtight seal

How the Avelle^™ NPWT System supports closed incisions:

Easy Application

all-in-one dressing available in a range of sizes to suit a variety of surgical specialities and applications.
Hydrofiber^® Technology

gels on contact with wound fluid and locks in bacteria keeping it away from surrounding skin.
Patient comfort

small, portable pump allows patients to stay active to aid recovery.
Incision protection

provides a viral, bacterial and showerproof barrier.
NPWT

proven to deliver 80mmHg (±20 mmHg) continuous therapy to the incision.
30 day pump lifespan^*

30 days of NPWT allowing for multiple dressing changes avoiding weekly pump replacements

ConvaTec Surgical Solutions

ConvaTec – your choice in post-operative wound management powered by Hydrofiber^® Technology.

ConvaTec are a leading global medical technology company with a specialist range of wound healing solutions powered by Hydrofiber^® Technology with the added option of closed incision Negative Pressure Therapy. Through the adoption of our Surgical Solutions pathway you can risk assess your patients and select the right post-operative dressing solution at the right time to reduce the risk of surgical site complications and improve post-operative outcomes.

Case studies

Read a few of the Avelle^™ NPWT success stories across a variety of surgical and challenging wound indications.

Closed Surgical Incision – 6-day Treatment

Dehisced Surgical Incision – 30-day Treatment

Closed Surgical Incision – 10-day Treatment

Dehisced Lower Limb – 16-day Treatment

Dehisced Surgical Incision – 28 Day Treatment

Hip Replacement – 4 Day Treatment

Hip Replacement – 5 Day Treatment

Mixed Aetiology Leg Ulcer – 7-Day Treatment

Venous Leg Ulcer - 56-day Treatment

Clinician Experiences

“We are still looking for best solution in wound healing disorders, effective both in prophylaxis, as well in hospital and ambulatory treatment. There are many options and ideas, but if you are looking for a “swiss-knife” in wound treatment – think about Avelle^™. It is a very universal dressing, easy to apply, easy to remove, effective in prophylaxis, but also very useful in treatment of early complications. Great link between hospital and outpatient clinic, sometimes an ideal option is to continue treatment at home, with a high level of patient satisfaction. Wounds like to be treated by Avelle^™…”

Professor Tomasz Banasiewicz - Head of Chair and Department General, Endocrynological Surgery and Gastrointestinal Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland

“I have used Avelle on 11 patients to improve take of split-thickness skin grafts. Based on our experience, we believe that Avelle^™ has helped achieve this by preventing haematoma, improving the local vascular supply and promoting graft adherence to the wound bed. We have also used Avelle^™ on closed incisions (mammaplasties, abdominoplasties and non-malignant tumour resections) to reduce oedema, enhance local revascularisation and reduce the risk of dehiscence. We find Avelle^™ easy to use: it has a single pressure setting and the Hydrofiber^® Technology dressing is easy to apply and remove.”

Professor Franck Duteille - Head of Department, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery, Burns Centre, University Hospital Nantes, France

"The great thing about negative pressure therapy is that it brings the edges of the wound together. It also removes excess fluid and thus oedema and improves circulation. The great advantage of using Hydrofiber^® Technology wound dressings in negative pressure therapy is that, unlike foams, we can protect the wound edges.”

Dr. Johannes Link - Chief of Vascular Surgery, Diakonie Clinic, Stuttgart, Germany

“We use it mainly on dehisced orthopaedic surgical incisions and usually use Avelle™ for 3–4 weeks.
In our experience, this promotes granulation tissue formation. The Hydrofiber^® Technology dressing helps protect the peri-wound skin: no maceration has been reported in the patients on whom we have used Avelle^™ since its introduction into our department almost a year ago.”

Emma Sharp - Limb Reconstruction Clinical Nurse Specialist, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, UK

“I used Avelle^™ as prophylaxis in foot and ankle surgeries to avoid complications such as necrosis and dehiscence. It has been a great advantage, because we manage to avoid those problems that would mean months of treatment to close them by secondary intention. Moreover it has been easy, thanks to the pump duration, not to be worried about which day the patient has to come to the Hospital, and the Hydrofiber^® Technology dressing”.

Nieves Valero - Outpatient Trauma Nurse, Elda Hospital, Spain

“Avelle^™ has had a positive impact on several wound types in my practice including sinus wounds, dehisced abdominal hysterectomy wounds, achilles tendon wounds healing by secondary intention and, possibly controversially given the lack of clinical evidence, post-abdominoplasty to prevent seroma formation. We have not observed any pain or skin trauma during Avelle^™ dressing changes. On average, we use Avelle^™ for 2–4 weeks on each patient. A key benefit is that the device can be used for up to 30 days.”

Connie Traynor - Plastics/Tissue Viability Nurse, BMI Healthcare Ross Hall Hospital, UKe

“I have used Avelle^™ on a wide range of different wounds, and in the same way as any other NPWT treatments. Avelle^™ has been useful as a prophylactic treatment for high-risk patients immediately after surgery or after surgical site infection revision surgery. We have seen positive wound healing progression from the start of treatment, leading to very good wound healing outcomes.”

Heli Kallio - Wound Care Nurse, Trauma Department and Outpatient Clinic, Turku University Hospital, Finland