Chronic soft tissue defects are notoriously difficult to heal. Surgical reconstruction of chronic defects using tissue flaps is a routine approach for closure of challenging chronic defects. Due to the poor tissue quality of chronic defects and associated inflammation, infection and impaired blood supply the success of flap closure is marred by reported complication rates of 25–58%. Extracellular matrix (ECM)-based graft materials are commonly used for resolving chronic wounds and in plastic and reconstructive procedures to create a scaffold for tissue regeneration. We hypothesized combination use of ECM grafts with tissue flaps in a single-stage surgical procedure would reduce complications and improve outcomes in the closure of chronic soft tissue defects. We report a case series (n = 9) of chronic soft tissue defect reconstruction using this modified procedure of ECM graft augmented flap closure. Defects included pressure injuries and surgical dehiscence and ranged in wound age from 5 months to 7 years. Successful uncomplicated healing was achieved in six defects. Post-operative complications (dehiscence) occurred in two defects, however, these healed via secondary intention without additional surgical intervention. All healed defects exhibited acceptable cosmesis and “normal” function, with 100% patient satisfaction. Augmentation of tissue flaps with ECM graft materials in this modified single-stage procedure may improve outcomes and minimize typical complications encountered in flap closure of chronic defects attributed to inflammation, infection, hypoperfusion, and dead space.

The use of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has become the new standard of care for complex wounds. NPWT with instillation (NPWTi) has been shown to assist wound progression in a variety of wound types in an acute hospital setting with increased progression toward healing. We present the case of a 70-year-old male with Crohn's disease, who had post-operative life-threatening complications following hernia repair. His complex abdominal wound and a high-output fistula required the assistance of an entire clinical team.The multidisciplinary team's approach toward the patient was equivalent to the team's approach to the complex wound: "All Hands On Deck!" The cornerstone of our management was NPWT, specifically NPWTi. Instillation therapy was initiated. Complex foam application and innovative strategies to keep a grossly contaminated wound from becoming the final straw to a patient's demise appeared our greatest challenge.NPWTi was utilized and optimized, where every type of foam, bridge, and securement was needed to gain success. This patient's progress could be wholly attributed to the commitment and experience of a group of care providers who were led by their knowledge and experience in NPWT in the most challenging circumstances.

Introduction. Wound cleansing is integral during early-stage wound management and affords the transition to modalities promoting granulation tissue formation and reepithelialization, or preparation for wound coverage/closure. NPWTi-d includes periodic instillation of topical wound cleansing solutions and negative pressure for infectious material removal. Materials and Methods. This was a retrospective study of 5 patients who were admitted to an acute care hospital and treated for PI. After initial wound debridement, NPWTi-d instilled normal saline or HOCl solution (40 mL–80 mL) onto the wound for a dwell time of 20 minutes followed by 2 hours of subatmospheric pressure (−125 mm Hg). NPWTi-d duration was 3 to 6 days with 48-hour dressing changes. Results. NPWTi-d helped cleanse 10 PIs in 5 patients (age, 39–89 years) with comorbidities to facilitate primary closure using rotation flaps. In 4 patients, rotation flap closures were performed without immediate postoperative complications, followed by hospital discharge within 72 hours. In one patient, closure was preempted due to an unrelated medical issue. A stoma was created to prevent further contamination. The patient returned for flap coverage post colostomy. Conclusion. The findings herein support the use of NPWTi-d in the cleansing of complex wounds and suggest that it may facilitate an expedited transition to rotation flap closure for this wound type.