WOLLF

Open fractures of the lower leg, where the bone breaks through the skin, are serious injuries that can cause long-term disability and even lead to amputation. 

Doctors worry about infection in the wound after an open fracture. Even after surgery to clean and fix the broken bones. Infection in the wound increases the patients' risk of disability and reduces their quality of life.

The type of dressing applied to the wound after the surgical clean of the open fracture may affect the risk of infection. A new type of suction wound dressing is called 'negative pressure wound therapy'. Negative pressure wound therapy was invented to improve wound healing. But it is more expensive than standard wound dressings.

The WOLLF study was a randomised controlled trial comparing standard wound dressings with negative pressure wound therapy for patients with an open fracture of the leg. The study measured patients' disability, risk of infection and quality of life during their recovery. 

External Links

Here are relevant links to the study...

• [Main Study Report] 'Effect of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy vs Standard Wound Management on 12-Month Disability Among Adults With Severe Open Fracture of the Lower Limb: The WOLLF Randomized Clinical Trial' published in JAMA
• [Qualitative Study] 'Participation in a trial in the emergency situation: a qualitative study of patient experience in the UK WOLLF trial' published in Trials
• [Full Trial Report] 'Negative-pressure wound therapy versus standard dressings for adults with an open lower limb fracture: the WOLLF RCT' published in NIHR Journals Library
• [Five-Year Report] 'Five-year outcomes for patients sustaining severe fractures of the lower limb: mid-term results from the Wound management for Open Lower Limb Fracture (WOLLF) trial' published in The Bone and Joint Journal
• [News Report] 'Open fracture trial supports advancement of major trauma research' published in NIHR News
• [Cost-Effectiveness Analysis] 'Cost-effectiveness of negative-pressure wound therapy in adults with severe open fractures of the lower limb: evidence from the WOLLF randomized controlled trial' published in The Bone and Joint Journal
• [Fracture Classification Economic Evaluation] 'Association between the Orthopaedic Trauma Society classification of open fractures and economic costs' published in The Bone and Joint Journal
• [Fracture Classification Report 1] 'The Orthopaedic Trauma Society classification of open fractures' published in The Bone and Joint Journal
• [Fracture Classification Report 2] 'Classification of open fractures: the need to modernize' published in The Bone and Joint Journal