Science Behind the Therapy
Understanding the Science of V.A.C. Therapy
Proven therapy with more than 650 peer-reviewed articles, the clinical and economic benefits of V.A.C.® (Vacuum Assisted Closure®) Therapy, also known as NPWT (Negative Pressure Wound Therapy) are widely known. However, it is equally important to understand how V.A.C. Therapy works deep inside the wound to achieve these outcomes. The following sections describe how NPWT (Negative Pressure Wound Therapy), namely V.A.C. Therapy, promotes wound healing and how its unique mechanisms of action differentiate it from other NPWT devices.
- What Makes Up the V.A.C. Therapy System
- How V.A.C. Therapy Promotes Granulation Tissue Formation
- How V.A.C. Therapy Removes Barriers to Healing
What Makes Up the V.A.C. Therapy System
Three Critical Components, One Unique System
The V.A.C. Therapy System is comprised of three essential components that actively work together to help promote wound healing through granulation tissue formation.
- V.A.C. Therapy Unit Provides intermittent and continuous therapy with integrated patient safety features
- SensaT.R.A.C.™ Technology Regulates pressure at the wound site to provide accurate delivery of prescribed therapy settings
- V.A.C. GranuFoam™ Dressings Help provide the necessary mechanisms to promote granulation tissue formation
How V.A.C. Therapy Promotes Granulation Tissue Formation
The Science Behind the System: Macrostrain and Microstrain
Under negative pressure, V.A.C. Therapy with proprietary V.A.C. GranuFoam Dressings applies mechanical forces to the wound to create an environment that promotes wound healing. These forces are known as macrostrain and microstrain.
Macrostrain is the visible stretch that occurs when negative pressure contracts the foam.
Macrostrain:
- Draws wound edges together
- Provides direct and complete wound bed contact
- Evenly distributes negative pressure
- Removes exudate and infectious materials
Microstrain is the microdeformation at the cellular level, which leads to cell stretch.1
Microstrain:
- Reduces edema
- Promotes perfusion
- Promotes granulation tissue formation by facilitating cell migration and proliferation
Using V.A.C. Therapy with V.A.C. GranuFoam Dressings results in both macrostrain and microstrain for advanced wound healing.
Watch a video of how V.A.C. Therapy works through macrostrain and microstrain.
How V.A.C. Therapy Removes Barriers to Healing
V.A.C. Therapy Mechanisms of Action
V.A.C. Therapy creates an environment that promotes wound healing through the following mechanisms:
| Wound Healing Barrier | V.A.C. Therapy Mechanism |
|---|---|
| Excess bacterial burden | Removes infectious materials |
| Inadequate protection against infection | Provides protected wound healing environment |
| Excess exudate | Removes exudate |
| Excess edema (interstitial fluid) | Reduces edema (interstitial fluid) |
| Absence of moisture | Provides a moist wound healing environment |
| Lack of adequate blood flow | Promotes perfusion |
| Lack of granulation tissue formation | Removes barries to cell migration and proliferation |
SensaT.R.A.C. Technology
V.A.C. Therapy uses SensaT.R.A.C.™ (Therapeutic Regulated Accurate Care) to:
- Monitor and maintain target pressure at the wound site for consistent therapy delivery
- Helps reduce tubing blocks and false alarms through enhanced fluid dynamics
- Provides alarms for enhanced patient safety
- Enhance patient comfort
Bibliography
Chen, C. M. (1997). Geometric control of cell life and death. Science , 276, 1425-1428.
Sui Huang, C. S. (1998). Control of Cyclin D1, p27Kip1, and Cell Cycle Progression in Human Capillary Endothelial Cells by Cell Shape and Cytoskeletal Tension . Molecular Biology of the Cell , 9 (11), 3179-319.
Joseph E, H. C. (2000). A prospective randomized trial of vacuum-assisted closure versus standard therapy of chronic non-healing wounds. Wounds , 12, 60-67.
Saxena, V. S., Hwang, C.-W. M., Huang, S. M., Eichbaum, Q. M., Ingber, D. M., & Orgill, D. P. (2004). Vacuum-Assisted Closure: Microdeformations of Wounds and Cell Proliferation. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: , 114 (5), 1086-1096.