Combination of mesh, vacuum and traction closure (MVTC) technique for late closure of the open abdomen                 HUANG Qian, ZHAO Yun-zhao, REN Jian-an, et al. Research Institute of General Surgery, Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Command, PLA, Nanjing210002, China
Corresponding author: ZHAO Yun-zhao, E-mail:yzzhaomd@gmail.com; REN Jian-an, E-mail: jian@medmail.com.cn
Abstracts    Objective    This study aims to explore the combination of Mesh, Vacuum and Traction Closure (MVTC) technique for late closure of the open Abdomen.  Methods    This retrospective study included forty patients who received vacuum-assisted and mesh-mediated fascial traction treatment between Jan 2006 and Dec 2009. Patients with age less than 18 years, Open abdomen(OR) treatment for fewer than 5 days and abdominal wall hernia before OA treatment, were excluded.  Results    Average age was 45±10 years. Main disease aetiologies were diffuse peritonitis (16 patients), trauma (12 patients), severe pancreatitis (8 patients) and intraperitoneal hemorrhage (4 patients). Average OA treatment time was 31.0±6.8 days, and average vacuum-assisted and mesh-mediated fascial traction treatment time was 26.0±6.8 days. The complete fascial closure rate was 60 percent. Two patients developed an enteroatmospheric fistula. Intestinal fistula was an independent factor associated with failure of fascial closure. Conclusion    The vacuum-assisted and mesh-mediated fascial traction method provided a high fascial closure rate after long-term treatment of OA. Technique-related complications were few.