Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) in Groin Wounds After Lymphadenectomy in Vulvar Cancer Patients

Background/Aim: Vulva cancer surgery is associated with a high level of morbidity mostly due to wound healing disorders in the inguinal region following lymphadenectomy. Our aim is to evaluate the feasibility of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) using the PICO™ device in groin wounds after lymphadenectomy. Patients and Methods: The groins of twenty patients who underwent bilateral lymph node dissection were dressed with the PICO™ device. All patients were followed prospectively with clinical controls up to three months postoperatively using a standardized study protocol. Results: A total of 11 patients (55%) developed a surgical site complication (SSC). One patient suffered from a wound rupture two days after surgery, six a lymphocele and four a surgical site infection. Operation time, blood loss, number of lymph nodes removed, length of hospital-stay and duration of PICO™ treatment did not differ between women with and without SSCs. Conclusion: NPWT using the PICO™ device seems to be a feasible method to reduce the severity of healing disorders in the groin after lymphadenectomy in vulva cancer patients.