Vacuum Assisted Closure as a Treatment for Open Fractures

Group A patients will have a standard dressing applied following initial treatment of their open fracture. They will return to the operating room approximately 48 hours following the initial trauma, and approximately every 48 hours thereafter, for irrigation and debridement and concomitant wound cultures (qualitative and quantitative) until such time as the wound is judged by the surgeon to be ready for either delayed primary closure or flap/skin graft coverage.

Group B patients will have a Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) device applied following initial treatment of their open fracture. They will return to the operating room approximately 48 hours following the initial trauma, and approximately every 48 hours thereafter, for irrigation and debridement and concomitant wound cultures (qualitative and quantitative) until such time as the wound is judged by the surgeon to be ready for either delayed primary closure or flap/skin graft coverage.