Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

Panniculectomy: Practical Pearls and Pitfalls

“… 46 , 48 – 50 In certain cases of profound lymphedema or when the risk of dehiscence or infection is sufficiently high, the senior author will perform a “French fry, string-of-pearls technique”: this technique takes advantage of both traditional NPWT and incisional NPWT. 34 , 51 , 52 Five-centimeter portions of the incision are closed intermittently, and these closed portions are separated by 5-cm open portions (Fig. 6 ).…”

“…The general concept is to convert a large wound into multiple small wounds, which heal secondarily ( see Video 1 [online] , which summarizes techniques and pearls used for successful panniculectomy). 34 , 51 , 53 By using the “French fry, string-of-pearls technique,” the senior author converts the incision into a wound with a “controlled dehiscence.” By taking advantage of the vertical struts of this technique, the NWPT is able to more aggressively drain the accumulating fluid. At the same time, this can address the high rate of surgical site occurrences, such as dehiscence and infection, proactively by allowing the intervening areas to heal secondarily.…”