Application of vacuum sealing drainage in perioperative patients with refractory wounds in orthopedics and prognostic analysis

To investigate the application effect of vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) in perioperative patients with refractory orthopedic wounds, evaluate its impact on patient prognosis, and provide reference basis for clinical treatment. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 123 patients with refractory orthopedic wounds admitted from January 2020 to December 2023, including 65 cases in the VSD treatment group and 58 cases in the conventional dressing change group. The wound healing time, healing rate, infection control, hospitalization duration, treatment costs, and functional recovery were observed in both groups. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to assess pain levels, wound area reduction rate was used to evaluate healing effects, and long-term prognosis was assessed through 6-month follow-up. The wound healing time in the VSD treatment group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (18. 5±4. 2 vs 28. 7±6. 8 days, P<0. 01), and the primary healing rate was significantly improved (83. 3% vs 58. 3%, P<0. 01). The infection control rate in the VSD group was 91. 7%, significantly higher than 73. 3% in the control group (P<0. 01). During treatment, the VSD group showed significantly lower pain scores compared to the control group (3. 2±1. 1 vs 5. 8±1. 6, P<0. 01), and shorter hospitalization time (15. 3±3. 8 vs 23. 6±5. 2 days, P<0. 01). At 6-month follow-up, the excellent and good rate of limb functional recovery in the VSD group was 88. 3%, significantly better than 65. 0% in the control group (P<0. 01). Validated functional outcome measures (DASH, LEFS, SF-12) corroborated these findings. There was no significant difference in total treatment costs between the two groups (P>0. 05). The complication rate related to VSD treatment was low (3. 3%), mainly minor bleeding, with no serious adverse reactions. Vacuum sealing drainage has significant advantages in perioperative application for refractory orthopedic wounds, effectively promoting wound healing, shortening healing time, reducing infection rate, alleviating patient pain, and improving long-term functional prognosis.