Topical Negative Pressure Therapy (TNPT)

TNPT is an advanced wound management modality delivered as a medical device, which is being increasingly used in the management of both acute and chronic wounds.

TNPT applies negative pressure to the wound bed, which is believed to accelerate wound healing through the following mechanisms of action:

• Facilitating drainage and management of exudate
• Encourages wound contraction
• Reduces surround tissue oedema
• Promotes perfusion
• Encourages cellular proliferation through micro-strain at a cellular level leading to granulation formation

In addition to the benefits of standard TNPT, TNPTi assists with regular wound cleansing by loosening and removing soluble contaminants from the wound bed through automated instillation and removal of topical solutions between dressing changes. TNPTi is primarily indicated for patients with open infected wounds or chronic wounds failing to progress.

Clinical resources to support TNPT/TNPTi

Please see the Tissue Viability Intranet site for the following resources to support safe delivery and monitoring of therapy:

• Consumable order codes
• Patient education leaflet
• Unit request process
• Picture application guides
• TNPT and TNPTi clinical guidelines
• Tissue Viability Competency document - includes TNPT/TNPTi competencies

Abthera open abdominal wound management and Prevena incisional wound management systems are also available at OUH and currently managed by relevant clinical specialities.

Standard non-disposable therapy

• Granufoam - a foam with open pore structure to assist with the formation of robust granulation tissue. Do not apply to undermining or tunnelling areas.
• White foam - a pre-moistened dense, open pore structured foam with increased tensile strength compared to granufoam ideal for use in undermining and tunnelling areas. Granulation response is slower than with granufoam so can be used to minimise discomfort at dressing changes. N.B dressing can become coloured by wound exudate and difficult to visualise in the wound bed at dressing changes.

TNPTi

• Veraflo dressing - a foam with open pore structure similar to standard granufoam for use with TNPTi.
• Veraflo cleanse - a tubular shaped dense foam ideal for delivering TNPTi in wounds with complex geometries.
• Veraflo cleanse choice - a 3 layer dressing that encourages wound debridement.

Please see the Tissue Viability intranet site for further guidance on foam selection and therapy settings.