BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the combined effect of vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) and antibiotic-loaded bone cement on soft tissue defects and infection.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective non-blinded study recruited 46 patients with soft tissue defects and infection from January 2010 to May 2014 and randomly divided them into experimental and control groups (n=23). Patients in the experimental group were treated with VSD and antibiotic-loaded bone cement, while the patients in the control group were treated with VSD only.

RESULTS: In the experimental group, the wound was healed in 23 cases at 4 weeks postoperatively, of which direct suture was performed in 12 cases, and additional free flap transplantation or skin grafting was performed in 6 cases and 5 cases, respectively. No infection reoccurred in 1-year follow-up. In the control group, the wound was healed in 15 cases at 6 weeks postoperatively, of which direct suture was performed in 8 cases, and additional free flap transplantation or skin grafting was performed in 3 cases and 4 cases, respectively. In the other 8 cases the wound was healed at 8 weeks postoperatively. Infection reoccurred in 3 cases during the follow-up. The experimental group had significantly fewer VSD dressing renewals, shorter time needed until the wound was ready for surgery, shorter duration of antibiotic administration, faster wound healing, and shorter hospital stay than the control group (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: The combination of VSD and antibiotic bone cement might be a better method for treatment of soft tissue defects and infection.

Keywords: Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage, Bone Cements, Drainage - methods, Drug Therapy, Combination, Escherichia coli - isolation & purification, Escherichia coli Infections - surgery, Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy - methods, Prospective Studies, Pseudomonas Infections - surgery, Pseudomonas aeruginosa - isolation & purification, Skin Transplantation - methods, Soft Tissue Injuries - therapy, Staphylococcal Infections - surgery, Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification, Vacuum, Wound Healing