NPWT Resource Use Compared With Conventional Wound Treatment in Subcutaneous Abdominal Wounds With Healing Impairment After Surgery: SAWHI Randomized Clinical Trial Results.

"The authors thank all clinical investigators and research nurses in the participating hospitals who enrolled at least 1 patient in the SAWHI study. These hospitals are listed with the number of patients randomized: Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim Universität Heidelberg (22); Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin (45); Klinikum Ernst von Bergmann gGmbH Potsdam (27); Chirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar München (51); Abteilung für Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen (37); GRN-Klinik Sinsheim (41); Klinik für Allgemeine Chirurgie, Viszeral-, Gefäß- und Kinderchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes Homburg/Saar (42); Sana Klinikum Berlin-Lichtenberg, Allgemein-u. Visceralchirurgie (35); St. Josef-Hospital gGmbH, Universitätsklinikum der Ruhr-Universität Bochum (26); Klinik für Allgemein-, Viszeral- und Thoraxchirurgie. Diakoniekrankenhaus Rotenburg (Wümme) gGmbH (19); ZU Brussel (5); Department of Abdominal Surgery, Leuven, Belgium (11); Thüringen-Kliniken “Georgius Agricola” GmbH Saalfeld, Gefäßchirurgie (17); Brandenburg Medical School -University Hospital Neuruppin, Department of General and Visceral Surgery (16); Universitätsmedizin Mainz Allgemein- Viszeral–und Transplantationschirurgie (5); Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Klinik und Poliklinik für Chirurgie (19); University Hospital Maastricht (3); Universitätsklinikum Rostock Chirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik (6); Hanse Klinikum Stralsund (1); Universitätsklinikum Magdeburg (4); Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (7); Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf (22); Klinikum Nürnberg Nord (4); Katholischen Kliniken Oberhausen gem. GmbH St. Marien Hospital (6); “Klinikum Offenbach GmbH Chirurgische Klinik (3); Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder, Abteilung für Allgemein-, Viszeral- und Allgemeinchirurgie Trier (10); Universitätsklinikum Freiburg Allgemein-u. Visceralchirurgie (5); Evangelisches Krankenhaus Oberhausen (28); Klinikum Kempten-Oberallgäu gGmbH (1); Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (9); Viszeral-, Thorax- und Gefäßchirurgie, Klinik für Allgemein/-Viszeralchirurgie, Ketteler Krankenhaus Offenbach am Main (6); Herz-Jesu-Krankenhaus Dernbach (2); Berlin Spandau Vivantes (3); Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Chirurgie (1). Furthermore, the authors thank all Institut für Forschung in der Operativen Medizin (IFOM) staff members who were involved in the study and all partners. The authors thank the following persons for their support: E. A. M. Neugebauer, Prof, supported the study in his role as former director of the IFOM. Peter Krüger, PD Dr rer nat (IFOM), was responsible for the data management of the study, performed the data transfer and assisted in the statistical analysis. All were employees of the University of Witten/Herdecke and received salary payments from the study grant. We thank all clinical trial associates and research nurses for their work in the study. The following German health services supported the outpatient care of the study participants: Sanitätshaus Kniesche GmbH in Potsdam, Medicops GmbH & Co. KG in Wiesloch, N:AIP Netzwerk Ruhr GmbH in Bochum, Noma-med GmbH in Harsum, and REHA aktiv 2000 GmbH in Saalfeld. We thank the members of the data monitoring committee for monitoring overall study performance and safety."

"The SAWHI-study was funded by the manufacturer Kinetic Concepts Incorporated, an Acelity company, now part of 3M Company, San Antonio, TX, USA, which included the financing of personnel and material resources for planning, conduct, analysis, and report of the study. In addition, the manufacturer provided the vacuum assisted closure (VAC) therapy devices and associated consumable supplies. The authors report grants from Kinetic Concepts Incorporated, an Acelity company, now part of 3M Company, San Antonio, TX, USA."

"This resource use evaluation was performed as an add on to the randomized clinical SAWHI trial which was conducted in 34 abdominal surgical departments in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The study protocol (Supplement) and the informed consent documents were approved by the lead ethical committee of the Witten/Herdecke University. The study was registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01528033."