Terapia por pressão negativa no tratamento de lesões por pressão: revisão da literatura

Abstract

BORGES, Maria Clara. Negative pressure therapy in the treatment of pressure injuries: a review of the literature. 2023. 36 f. Completion of course work - Nursing Course of the School of Social and Health Sciences of the Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás - Goiânia Goiás, 2023. INTRODUCTION: Pressure Ulcers (PU) are a common condition that occurs due to pressure, shear, or friction on the skin, resulting in superficial or deep injuries. Negative pressure therapy (NPT) is a treatment indicated for this type of wound, as it can improve vascularization and increase the treatment acceptance rate. OBJECTIVES: To review Brazilian publications addressing the effectiveness of NPT in the treatment of pressure ulcers; highlight the benefits of Pressure Ulcer treatment using NPT; emphasize therapeutic indications for the use of NPT in the treatment of pressure ulcers. METHODOLOGY: A narrative literature review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Negative Pressure Therapy (NPT) in the treatment of pressure ulcers. The study followed a series of steps, including defining the research question, inclusion and exclusion criteria, literature search, data collection, critical reading of articles, analysis of results, discussion, and final considerations. The search was performed in specific databases such as the Virtual Health Library (VHL), including Portuguese-language journals from the last five years. Irrelevant, incomplete, and duplicate articles were excluded. Data collection was performed using a specific form, and the articles were selected and categorized to facilitate understanding after critical reading and analysis. RESULTS: Of the 13 selected articles, 6 (46.1%) highlighted the effectiveness and benefits of NPT in the treatment of pressure ulcers. Five (38.7%) articles emphasized the benefits of NPT, demonstrating its association with pain reduction, decreased infections, and minimization of psychological impacts on patients. Four (30.7%) studies addressed the therapeutic indications of NPT, highlighting its application in different clinical situations such as grade III and IV pressure ulcers, complex wounds, burns, necrotic wounds, and diabetic wounds. DISCUSSION: Negative pressure therapy (NPT) is effective in wound healing, symptom relief, and improving quality of life. Previous studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing tissue compression, increasing blood supply, and removing fluids from the wound. NPT is also versatile and can treat different conditions of pressure ulcers. Furthermore, NPT offers economic benefits, and a study showed its positive cost-effectiveness compared to other therapeutic approaches. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: NPT is effective in wound healing and symptom relief in pressure ulcers, as well as improving patients' quality of life and being versatile in the treatment of different pressure ulcer conditions. Additionally, it has economic benefits compared to other therapeutic approaches. However, further research and the implementation of standardized protocols are needed to assess its effectiveness in different contexts and patient populations.

Keywords: Pressure ulcers; Dressings; Wounds; Treatment; Vacuum.