Be there or be square: Should we adopt non-rectangular dressing shapes in single-use negative pressure wound therapy?

Eliminating sharp or small-radius geometric discontinuities and tuning the regional stiffness can markedly attenuate peri-incisional stresses without compromising the contribution of the dressing to the closure work. Circular suNPWT dressings with a peripheral stiffer ring offer a biomechanically superior, manufacturable alternative to conventional rectangular designs, warranting further pre-clinical and clinical evaluations.