WHIST

Major trauma, where patients suffer serious injuries, is the main cause of death in people under 45. In England, around 20,000 people suffer major trauma each year, leading to about 5,400 deaths and many survivors left with lifelong disabilities. 

Leg injuries are especially common in major trauma and often need surgery to fix the broken bones back in the correct position. The operation to fix the broken leg bones allows patients to start walking quickly. But, after the operation, there is a risk of infection in the surgical wound. The risk is greater in major trauma, where there is lots of swelling and bruising in the skin and muscles.

The type of dressing used on the wound after surgery may reduce the risk of infection. 

WHIST was a randomised controlled trial comparing a new type of wound dressing called 'negative pressure wound therapy' with standard dressings for people with serious leg injuries. 

External Links

Here are relevant links to the study...

• [Main Study Result] 'Effect of Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy vs Standard Wound Dressing on Deep Surgical Site Infection After Surgery for Lower Limb Fractures Associated With Major Trauma: The WHIST Randomized Clinical Trial' published in JAMA
• [Full Trial Report] 'Negative-pressure wound therapy compared with standard dressings following surgical treatment of major trauma to the lower limb: the WHiST RCT' published in NIHR Journals Library
• [Cost-Utility Analysis] 'Cost-utility analysis of standard dressing compared with incisional negative-pressure wound therapy among patients with closed surgical wounds following major trauma to the lower limb' published in The Bone and Joint Journal