The number of patients requiring wound care is increasing, placing a burden on healthcare institutions and clinicians. While negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) use has become increasingly common, Middle East-specific wound care guidelines are limited. An in-person meeting was held in Dubai with 15 wound care experts to develop guidelines for NPWT and NPWT with instillation and dwell (NPWTi-d) use for the Middle East. A literature search was performed using PubMed, Science Direct and Cochrane Reviews. Prior to the meeting, panel members reviewed literature and existing guidelines on NPWT and/or NPWTi-d use. A wound management treatment algorithm was created. Patient and wound assessment at presentation and throughout the treatment plan was recommended. Primary closure was recommended for simple wounds, and NPWT use was suggested for complex wounds requiring wound bed preparation. NPWTi-d use was advised when wound cleansing is required, if the patient is unsuitable for surgical debridement, or if surgical debridement is delayed. When NPWTi-d is unavailable, panel members recommended NPWT. Panel members recommended NPWT for wound bed preparation and NPWTi-d when wound cleansing is needed. These recommendations provide general guidance for NPWT and NPWTi-d use and should be updated as more clinical evidence becomes available.
The healthcare landscape in South Africa is challenging with a complex patient population and a stressed healthcare system. Negative pressure therapy-based systems such as negative pressure wound therapy with instillation and dwell (NPWTi-d) and closed incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT) can help manage wounds or incisions. However, guidelines for South Africa-specific use are limited. An in-person meeting was held with 10 experts to develop South Africa-specific therapy use recommendations for NPWTi-d and ciNPT. Panel members recommended NPWTi-d use for wounds in need of cleansing. Normal saline and a 10-min dwell time were recommended with the caveat that the instillation solutions and dwell times can be changed based on the wound bed condition and the features of the instillation solution. A negative pressure cycle of 2–3 h and a negative pressure of −125 mmHg were also recommended for NPWTi-d. In patients, incisions, and surgical procedures at high risk of developing surgical site complications, ciNPT use was recommended. These general recommendations serve as a framework for NPWTi-d and/or ciNPT use in South Africa and should be updated as more region-specific evidence becomes available.