A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Negative Pressure Wound Therapy to Standard Care for Patients Undergoing Laparotomy Aged 20 to 70 Years

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the use of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy NPWT to prevent infections in patients undergoing laparotomy surgery. This randomized clinical trial will compare the effects of NPWT combined with standard antibiotic treatment against standard antibiotics alone in patients aged 20 to 70 years. The study aims to determine if applying NPWT at the end of surgery reduces surgical site infections and the need for further operations. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. Group A will receive Negative Pressure Wound Therapy applied immediately after laparotomy, followed by a 72-hour stay in the post-surgical ward and a course of standard antibiotics. Group B will receive standard antibiotics without NPWT but undergo the same post-surgical care and follow-up. Both groups will be monitored for 30 days after discharge to assess surgical site infections and any need for re-operation. During the study, participants will be closely observed in the hospital for the first 72 hours post-surgery and then followed regularly in outpatient visits for 30 days. Researchers will document any surgical site infections and whether additional surgery is needed. All complications will be treated according to hospital protocols. The main outcome measured is the occurrence of surgical site infections within three months, with secondary assessment of re-operations during the same period.

Prophylactic Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Laparotomy Wounds: A Randomized Clinical Trial