Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Skin graft healing with negative pressure therapy in cats
By Nolff, Mirja C & Meyer-Lindenberg, Andrea·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2015·Clinic for Small Animal Surgery and Reproduction, Germany·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Negative pressure wound therapy augmented full-thickness free skin grafting in the cat: outcome in 10 grafts transferred to six cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of six cats with skin wounds underwent a special treatment involving negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) to help heal their injuries before receiving skin grafts. The cats were first treated with NPWT to manage their wounds and prevent infection, and then full-thickness skin was grafted from their sides. Most of the grafts took well, with a success rate of about 97%, and the cats tolerated the treatment without issues. After healing, some cats showed normal hair regrowth at the graft site, while others had sparse or no regrowth.
People also search for: cat skin graft recovery · negative pressure wound therapy for cats · cat wound healing treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this clinical evaluation was to describe the technique and outcomes of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) augmented skin grafting in cats. METHODS: Cats with soft tissue and skin defects (n = 6) underwent open wound management. Wounds were initially covered using a NPWT system that was changed to polyurethane foam dressing once infection was controlled and granulation started. Final closure was achieved after establishment of a healthy, fully granulated wound bed by grafting of free full-thickness skin from the lateral abdominal wall. The freshly grafted skin was then treated with an NPWT dressing at a pressure of -125 mmHg for 3 days, with dressing changes performed daily. Percentage graft take, complications, wound bioburden and cosmetic outcome were recorded. RESULTS: The mean duration of open wound management was 21.4 days (range 3.0-45.0 days), with a mean duration of NPWT of 8.0 days (range 3.0-14.0 days). Five cats received a single graft, while one cat had five grafts transferred to the right hindlimb. In 7/10 grafts, graft take was 100%, in two grafts take was 95% and in one graft take was 80% (mean take rate 97%). Therapy was well tolerated in all patients. The grafted site displayed normal hair regrowth in four cats, sparse hair regrowth in one and no hair growth at all in one patient. Skin sensation was normal in all grafted patients. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Skin graft augmentation using NPWT in cats is a feasible option that allows graft fixation, even in anatomically demanding areas. Graft take rate reported here is slightly higher than documented in previous reports.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25656341/