LapVac - a laparoscopic approach for negative pressure wound therapy application in open abdomen management: a porcine animal model.

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in the open abdomen (OA) is recognized as a gold standard management method. Currently minimally invasive procedures are implemented in many clinical scenarios.

To demonstrate the feasibility of using negative pressure wound therapy in a laparoscopic approach for OA management in a porcine model termed as a laparoscopic vacuum (LapVac).

An adult female swine underwent a laparoscopic procedure. Briefly, a small incision was made and secured with a wound protector, pneumoperitoneum was created and two additional ports were placed. Then, a non-adhesive layer was precisely placed within the abdominal cavity.

Finally, polyurethane foam and adhesive drape were applied. A volume of 200 ml of saline solution was instilled and drained completely within 30 min. We did not observe any technical problems with NPWT application.

This study confirmed the technical feasibility of NPWT application in the laparoscopic approach. LapVac seems to be a promising technique which may minimize the trauma and lead to better outcomes.