Comparative study of open abdomen treatment: ABThera™ vs. abdominal dressing™.

INTRODUCTION: Negative pressure therapy (NPT) is a widely recognised procedure for the temporary closure of open abdominal wounds. In this study, we compare two NPT products, the V.A.C.® abdominal dressing (AD) system and the new ABThera™ (ABT) system, in terms of the primary closure rates achieved, types of closure, and the associated morbidity.

METHODS: We employed a retrospective comparative study of open-abdomen patients treated with NPT using either AD or ABT. The indications for treatment were damage control surgery, abdominal compartment syndrome, or severe abdominal sepsis.

RESULTS: The group of patients treated with ABT showed a higher percentage of primary closures (41 vs. 11%) and required fewer days of NPT (17 vs. 26 days) than the AD group. Differences were statistically significant. In addition, only 4% of patients in the ABT group exhibited enteroatmospheric fistulae, compared to 17% in the AD group.

CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the AD system, ABT can achieve faster primary closure after open abdomen treatment with only minor complications.