Information for the public

Benefits and risks

Benefits and risks

When NICE looked at the evidence, it decided that this procedure was safe enough and works well enough to use in the NHS. The 7 studies that NICE looked at involved a total of 5263 patients.

Generally, they showed that:

  • Roughly half (45–58%) of patients' wounds could be surgically closed after vacuum therapy compared with rates of 13–78% for other types of temporary dressing.

  • A small number of patients needed an artificial patch to the abdominal wall afterwards – but this also happened after other techniques were used.

The studies also showed some problems, although these patients were very ill and there is no evidence that they were caused by the procedure:

  • fistula (an abnormal leak from the bowel)

  • patients needing to be fed intravenously (into a vein) for more than 4 weeks

  • abscess (a collection of pus usually caused by an infection)

  • bleeding.

Some of the patients died in some of the studies. The proportion of patients who died after vacuum therapy (22–30%) was similar to the number who died after other types of temporary dressing (16–33%). Again, there was no evidence that the deaths were linked to the procedure used.

If you want to know more about the studies see the guidance. Ask your health professional to explain anything you don't understand.

Questions to ask your health professional

  • What does the procedure involve?

  • What are the benefits I might get?

  • How good are my chances of getting those benefits? Could having the procedure make me feel worse?

  • Are there alternative procedures?

  • What are the risks of the procedure?

  • Are the risks minor or serious? How likely are they to happen?

  • What care will I need after the procedure?

  • What happens if something goes wrong?

  • What may happen if I don't have the procedure?

  • Information Standard