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Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy for Preoperatively Irradiated Lower Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma Wounds

Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy for Preoperatively Irradiated Lower Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma Wounds. A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02638298
Enrollment
163
Registered
2015-12-23
Start date
2015-12-31
Completion date
2024-07-31
Last updated
2025-08-07

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cancer, Infectious Disease, Sarcoma

Brief summary

This is a study comparing two methods of dressing a post operative wound that are currently in practice. One method is a traditional dry gauze dressing. The other method is using a negative pressure dressing that provides gentle suction on the wound. The investigators will attempt to determine how well the use of post-operative negative pressure dressing reduces wound healing problems in patients who have surgery after radiation for a sarcoma in the thigh or leg.

Detailed description

Postoperative surgical site infections pose a significant challenge to the orthopaedic oncologist, especially in wounds that have been previously irradiated with neo adjuvant external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). There are many studies demonstrating the relatively high risk of wound complications after lower extremity sarcoma resection. Published data suggest that these preoperatively radiated wounds have a postoperative infection rate of 17%-44% with traditional dressings (e.g. dry gauze surgical dressings). A prospective series of 190 patients and showed a wound complication risk of 35% in preoperative irradiated wounds. The morbidity associated with wound complications can range from moderate (prolonged dressing changes) to severe (life or limb threatening infection). Patients who develop wound complications have been shown to longer hospitalizations and higher costs \[ref\]. Anatomic location of the tumor has been shown to be a risk factor for the development of wound complications with lower extremities being higher risk than upper extremities. There are several published studies examining the effect of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on high risk surgical wounds. Abdominal wound complications can be reduced with the use of incisional NPWT. In the orthopaedic literature the use of negative pressure incisional dressings have been shown to lower the risk of wound complications in total hip arthroplasty, acetabular fractures, and extremity fractures. To our knowledge, there have not been any published studies on the utility of negative pressure wound therapy in previously irradiated soft tissue sarcoma wounds. The investigators feel that this high risk patient cohort could potentially benefit from reducing wound complications through NPWT and is an ideal population to study its effect.

Interventions

DEVICEPrevana Dressing

negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) dressing

OTHERStandard Dry Gauze Dressing

Standard Dry Gauze Dressing

Sponsors

3M
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
Medical University of South Carolina
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Age\>18 * Willing to consent to randomization and able to participate in the study * Lower extremity soft tissue sarcoma necessitating radiation prior to surgical resection * Primary closure of wound * Patients scheduled for surgical resection

Exclusion criteria

* Flap coverage or skin graft * Patients scheduled for amputations as local control of their tumor * Sarcomas where radiation is not planned preoperatively * Repeat surgeries for oncologic reasons (positive margins) * Known allergy to adhesive tape

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Wound Complication Ratelongitudinally up to 6 months postoperativelyTo estimate the wound complication rate of post-operative negative pressure dressings and traditional dry dressings, and risk of secondary interventions after resection of soft tissue sarcoma in lower extremities that have received pre-operative radiation. Post-operative pain severity assessed by Visual analogue scale at 2 weeks and 6 months post-operatively where visual analogue scale ranges from zero to ten where (0 = no pain, 10 = maximum pain imaginable).

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

Patients were randomized to NPWT or dry gauze dressing following oncologic resection and were excluded in the settings of amputation, revision, or flap coverage

Participants by arm

ArmCount
NPWT Dressing
Prevana Dressing: negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) dressing. Baseline characteristics were not collected for sex of participants, nor was the age documented as a result of all participants being over the age of 18.
81
Standard Dry Gauze Dressing
Standard Dry Gauze Dressing: Standard Dry Gauze Dressing. Baseline characteristics were not collected for sex of participants, nor was the age documented as a result of all participants being over the age of 18.
79
Total160

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicStandard Dry Gauze DressingTotalNPWT Dressing
Age, Customized
>=18 years old
79 Participants160 Participants81 Participants
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected0 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
79 participants160 participants81 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 810 / 79
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 810 / 79
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 810 / 79

Outcome results

Primary

Wound Complication Rate

To estimate the wound complication rate of post-operative negative pressure dressings and traditional dry dressings, and risk of secondary interventions after resection of soft tissue sarcoma in lower extremities that have received pre-operative radiation. Post-operative pain severity assessed by Visual analogue scale at 2 weeks and 6 months post-operatively where visual analogue scale ranges from zero to ten where (0 = no pain, 10 = maximum pain imaginable).

Time frame: longitudinally up to 6 months postoperatively

Population: Post-operative pain severity assessed by Visual analogue scale at 2 weeks and 6 months post-operatively where visual analogue scale ranges from zero to ten where (0 = no pain, 10 = maximum pain imaginable).

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
NPWT DressingWound Complication RatePost-operative pain severity assessed by Visual analogue scale at 2 weeks postoperatively.3.7 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.2
NPWT DressingWound Complication RatePost-operative pain severity assessed by Visual analogue scale at 6 months postoperatively.2.1 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.9
Standard Dry Gauze DressingWound Complication RatePost-operative pain severity assessed by Visual analogue scale at 2 weeks postoperatively.3.7 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.5
Standard Dry Gauze DressingWound Complication RatePost-operative pain severity assessed by Visual analogue scale at 6 months postoperatively.2.2 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.9

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026