The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a Medtech innovation briefing (MIB) on the use of PICO single use negative pressure wound therapy (sNPWT).
Image: The PICO single use negative pressure wound therapy. Photo: courtesy of PRNewsfoto/Smith & Nephew.
The MIB has described the prophylactic use of PICO as a potential alternative to standard surgical dressings in the prevention of surgical site complications (SSCs).
Medical technology firm Smith & Nephew said the MIB is the only one published by NICE on an NPWT device t prevent SSCs.
The PICO, which can be used in both hospital and community settings, secured approval for multiple indications, including surgically closed incision sites.
Smith & Nephew advanced wound management SVP Paolo Di Vincenzo said: “Today we are delighted to see the NICE MIB support for the prophylactic use of PICO as an effective alternative for clinicians who look to reduce their rates of surgical site complications.
“This will provide them with the confidence to use PICO for their at-risk patients and procedures, in support of their efforts to achieve better economic and clinical outcomes.”
The PICO system will help to reduce SSCs, including SSIs and dehiscence (wound rupturing) of the surgical incision, in patients at elevated risk of SSCs.
The PICO dressing features an advanced Airlock technology, which uniformly and systematically delivers NPWT across a surgical incision and the surrounding zone of injury generated naturally by the incision itself.
The technology helps to decrease the risk of wound complications by reducing post-operative fluid, swelling and associated tension around a closed surgical incision compared against standard dressings, said Smith & Nephew.
Under the MIB, NICE carried out a review of the published and peer-reviewed data from different meta-analyses and randomised controlled trials (RCTs).
The effectiveness of PICO in decreasing SSCs has been assessed in 10 RCTs and multiple observational studies.
According to Smith & Nephew, a recently published 1,839 patient meta-analysis showed the efficacy of PICO through significantly reducing SSIs by 58% in closed surgical incisions compared with standard care.
With operations in around 100 countries, Smith & Nephew provides orthopaedic reconstruction, advanced wound management, and sports medicine, as well as trauma and extremities solutions.