Vacuum assisted closure: recommendations for use. A consensus document

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This consensus document has been adopted by the World Union of Wound Healing Societies (www.wuwhs.org) as an educational initiative and provides principles of best practice on the use of vacuum assisted closure therapy in wound management. The document was launched at the third congress of the WUWHS, held in Toronto 4-8th June 2008.

The document provides guidance on the successful integration of vacuum assisted closure therapy (V.A.C.(R) Therapy) into clinical practice. It specifically reviews its potential use in six selected wound types: diabetic foot ulcers, complex leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, dehisced sternal wounds, open abdominal wounds and traumatic wounds. In addition, it considers quality of life and cost-effectiveness, both of which are gaining importance when evaluating treatment. This document highlights questions for future research and is designed to be practical and adaptable for local use in countries worldwide.

The recommendations draw on both the research evidence and the consensus opinion of an international group of experts including:

• Jan Apelqvist, University Hospital of Malmoe, Division of Clinical Sciences, University of Lund (Sweden)
• David G Armstrong, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Illinois (USA)
• Matthias Augustin, University Hospitals of Hamburg (Germany)
• Mona Baharestani, East Tennessee State University, Tennessee and James H Quillen Veterans Administration Medical Center, Tennessee (USA)
• Paul Banwell, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, East Grinstead (Co-Chair, UK)
• Luca Dalla Paola, Abano Terme Hospital, Padova (Italy)
• Anand Deva, Liverpool Hospital, New South Wales (Australia)
• William Ennis, University of Illinois, Chicago (USA)
• Joel Fish, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto (Canada)
• Wilhelm Fleischmann, Ludwigsburg-Bietigheim Hospitals, Bietigheim-Bissingen (Germany)
• Subhas Gupta, Loma Linda University, California (USA)
• Ronny Gustafsson, Lund University Hospital (Sweden)
• Keith Harding, Wound Healing Research Unit, Cardiff University (Co-Chair, UK)
• Raymund E Horch, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany)
• Richard Ingemansson, Lund University Hospital (Sweden)
• Gerrolt Jukema, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
• James Mahoney, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto (Canada)
• Chantal Moues, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam (The Netherlands)
• Patricia Price, School of Medicine, Cardiff University (UK)
• Javier Soldevilla Agreda, EUE University of La Rioja, Logrono (Spain)
• Colin Song, Singapore General Hospital (Singapore)
• Luc Teot, Hospital Lapeyronie, Montpellier (France)
• Paul Trueman, University of York (UK)
• Kathryn Vowden, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bradford (UK)
• Peter Vowden, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bradford (UK)
• Thomas Wild, Medical University of Vienna (Austria)

This document is available in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian. Pdf editions of the document can also be downloaded from www.wuwhs.org