Conclusion
NPWT is considered to be an effective treatment in facilitating
wound healing. However, as with other wound
treatments, pain and skin trauma can be problematic, affecting
patient’s well-being and also the healing process. As
studies have shown varying levels of pain and trauma in
patients undergoing NPWT, it is clear that pain and trauma
can be minimised and this should be an area of priority for
researchers and clinicians. Some of the factors that may affect
this variation include the dressing and filler used and the
NPWT system type. However, the research base is currently
underdeveloped and further investigation of the impact of
different treatment factors on pain and trauma needs to be
carried out. Furthermore, researchers need to consider the
pain and trauma experienced during the different stages of
NPWT, in order to improve NPWT and its effect on the
patient and on the healing of the wound.