Figure 3.

Wound contraction during negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in a porcine peripheral wound model. Wounds were sealed as for NPWT using pathogen‐binding mesh, foam or gauze, and then treated at negative pressures of −80 and −120 mmHg, or not subjected to negative pressure (0 mmHg). Measurements of wound diameter were performed before the application of negative pressure (before NPWT), immediately after negative pressure was applied (0 hours), every 24 hours during NPWT and after negative pressure was discontinued (after NPWT). The reduction in wound diameter was calculated as a percentage of the area before negative pressure was applied. Values are presented as means ± standard error of the mean (n = 8). Note the greater wound contraction with foam than with gauze and pathogen‐binding mesh, and the fact that the wounds treated with negative pressure remained contracted after discontinuation of the treatment.