Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in its modern form has been shown to be effective in the management of chronic and surgical wounds (Vig et al, 2011; Krug et al, 2011). The technology of NPWT devices has evolved continuously since its first inception. Early pumps were very basic in terms of their functionality and as time has progressed, the sophistication, capability and usability of the devices has continued to improve. Traditional NPWT is effective in treating acute, sub-acute and chronic wounds, and animal studies suggest intermittent therapy has potential for promoting faster growth of granulation tissue compared to continuous therapy (Morykwas et al, 1997).
RENASYS™ TOUCH Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System is the latest advance in the evolution of NPWT devices. This new NPWT device has enhanced usability, as exemplified by a touchscreen graphical user interface (GUI) and enhanced functionality, such as improved troubleshooting capability and an adjustable compression rate feature. The combination of RENASYS TOUCH and the range of RENASYS NPWT dressing kits has been shown to produce a mean wound area reduction of 55% and wound volume reduction of 80% versus baseline in 4 weeks (Forlee 2018). In addition, where wounds present with an infection management challenge, ACTICOATTM FLEX 3 Antimicrobial Barrier Dressing can be used in conjunction with RENASYS TOUCH.
A recently completed clinical trial has further demonstrated the functionality, usability and efficacy of RENASYS TOUCH (Forlee et al, 2016; 2018). In addition, a series of case studies covering a variety of wound types, show the range of uses for RENASYS TOUCH in combination with various dressing kits.
