Wound Vac Patient Handout
What is a Wound Vac
- A wound vac is a type of wound dressing that promotes wound healing. Medical Grade foam is placed over the wound bed and is sealed with a transparent dressing. A small flexible tubing connects the dressing to a small canister located on a small device (about the size of a small purse). This small device creates a “vacuum like” suction which pulls wound drainage off of the wound and into the canister. The wound vac is portable and can be worn discreetly. The wound vac can be worn over your shoulder in a small black fabric case with a strap. The wound vac should be plugged in every night while you are sleeping so it can charge. During the day when you need to be mobile, the machine will run on battery life charge.
What are the benefits of a wound vac?
- Promotes wound healing by maintaining the right moisture balance at wound bed.
- Promote healthy tissue cell growth.
- Reduces the risk of infection.
- Decreases dressing change frequency.
- Shortens wound healing time
How long will I need a wound vac?
- Your surgeon will decide how long wound vac is needed. Everyone heals differently.
- If you have a large wound you may need wound vac for several months.
- Small wounds may require just a few weeks of therapy.
- If you have a wound vac covering a skin graft it may be in place 1-4 weeks.
Where will my wound vac be changed?
- Your wound vac will be changed 1-3 timer per week.
- Your wound vac will be changed in the wound clinic at your weekly follow up with your surgeon.
- You will likely be enrolled in Home Health Care so the other 1-2 dressing changes will be done at your home. A registered Nurse will come to your house and change your wound vac.
Wound vac therapy and minor Troubleshooting
- Your wound vac should always be on.
- If your wound vac settings will be set by your surgeon and should not be changed.
- If your wound vac alarms indicating a “seal leak” you may troubleshoot outer dressing by running fingers over the clear dressing called “drape” to find the site of leak. Then apply a strip of drape over the leak site.
- If you have home health, call your home health agency and request assistance.
- The wound vac machine company is KCI. Your machine will have a phone number for KCI, you may call this number for assistance.
- During business hours you may call the wound clinic for further instruction/ assistance from an RN.
- If your wound Vac loses suction for more than 2 hours then wound vac should be removed and a moist gauze dressing should be applied until a medical professional is able to reapply wound vac.
When to call your surgeon or wound clinic
- ACTIVE BLEEDING: if your wound vac canister is full of bright red blood, stop the wound vac, hold pressure on the outside of the dressing and call your surgeon. Let your surgeon know if you are currently taking any blood thinners.
- INFECTION: For signs of infection such as fever over 100.4 F, redness on skin outside of the dressing, foul odor coming from the wound, skin outside of dressing is hot to touch, or purulent yellow/ green drainage in the canister.
When to go to the Emergency room
- If you are unable to get in contact with surgeon and you have signs of infection i.e. fevers, chills, increasing pain, spreading redness.
- If you are unable to contact your surgeon and bleeding does not stop. – STOP the wound vac and holding pressure on the source of bleeding