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There is only one 3M™ V.A.C.® Therapy, the original NPWT.
A world leader in negative pressure wound therapy — driven by science.
V.A.C.® Therapy repeatedly sets the standard for negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Since it has been used to treat more than 10 million wounds¹ worldwide, there is reliable clinical evidence that associates V.A.C.® Therapy with reduced risk of readmission and reduced need of reoperation² — ultimately reducing hospitalization time and the risk of complications.²,³ Not all NPWT are the same, and choosing V.A.C.® Therapy can help improve patient care and your bottom line.
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1/3 the time for chronic wounds and 1/2 the time for acute wounds.When V.A.C.® Therapy was initiated early in the wound care clinic treatment time period compared to late initiation, the days to reach significant closure (75% wound surface area reduction) were significantly decreased.⁴ Early initiation* of V.A.C.® Therapy has been shown to reduce 50% time for acute wounds and 65% time for chronic wounds.
Based on a retrospective analysis conducted on a national insurance provider’s medical claims data, which examined 6,181 acute and 1,480 chronic wound patients that received NPWT from January 1, 2009 to June 30, 2011.**
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21%–34% lower total costs across wound types at 12 months.In a retrospective analysis of U.S. insurance claims in the outpatient setting, patients who received V.A.C.® Therapy had lower total and wound-related treatment costs than patients who received competitor negative pressure wound therapy, in all wound types across all time periods studied.³
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Proven NPWT.V.A.C.® Therapy continues to have the largest body of NPWT evidence in the world with 2,000+ peer-reviewed publications and more than 6 out of 7 clinical studies on NPWT are based on 3M NPWT systems.⁵
These studies have demonstrated several benefits of NPWT, as well as the effectiveness of V.A.C.® Therapy in helping to manage diabetic foot wounds, chronic wounds (e.g., pressure ulcers and lower extremity ulcers), and a variety of acute wounds.
*Defined as treatment within the first 7 days for acute wounds and 30 days for chronic wounds from the first wound treatment date.
**For all acute Wound Surface Area (WSA), median days from first visit to 75% WDA reduction was 40.4 (p<0.0001) and for all chronic WSAs, median days from first visit to 75% WSA reduction was 96.4 (p<0.0001).
Negative Pressure Wound Therapy products that can help you continue to strive for better outcomes.
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3M™ ActiV.A.C.™ Therapy Unit
The small, lightweight and ergonomic design of this easy-to-use unit makes it ideal for patients transitioning to home care.
- Creates an environment that promotes wound healing by promoting granulation tissue formation
- Adjusts pump output to the wound site, compensating for wound distance, wound position, exudate characteristics, and patient movement
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3M™ V.A.C.® Ulta Therapy Unit
This integrated wound management system provides four separate and distinct negative pressure wound therapy options in the convenience of one device for use in a health care facility:
- 3M™ V.A.C.® Therapy
- 3M™ Veraflo™ Therapy
- 3M™ AbThera™ Therapy
- 3M™ Prevena™ Therapy
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Dressings, drapes and accessories for V.A.C.® Therapy
Access the entire line of products expressly developed for V.A.C.® Therapy. These devices, dressings and accessories are designed to maximize NPWT effectiveness based on unique wound needs.
Explore dressings, drapes and accessories for V.A.C.® Therapy
How does V.A.C.® Therapy work?
See the V.A.C.® Therapy Mechanism of Action
V.A.C.® Therapy is the original, foundational NPWT and one of the world leaders in NPWT. It promotes an environment for wound healing by protecting the wound from external contamination, providing a moist wound environment, and promoting the formation of granulation tissue.⁶
The combination of 3M’s proprietary foam, drape, multi-lumen tubing, and advanced algorithms enable you to provide a uniform negative pressure to the wound surface. This consistent negative pressure helps draw wound edges together, allows for the removal of exudate and infectious material, and stimulates the growth of tissue so the wound can heal.
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1) Draws wound edges together
The application of uniform negative pressure induces a physical response — macrostrain — that can be seen immediately as the wound edges are drawn together, allowing for optimal contact between the wound bed and the dressing.⁷
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2) Removes exudate and infectious material
Macrostrain facilitates removal of wound exudate which may contain inhibitors of wound healing.⁶
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3) Reduces edema and promotes perfusion
Removal of wound fluids assists in the reduction of edema, which facilitates the flow of blood into the wound bed, providing the oxygen and nutrients that are needed for wound healing.⁶
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4) Promotes granulation tissue formation
In vitro/in vivo studies show that foam contact with tissue creates micro-deformation that leads to cell stretch.⁷ Cell stretch under negative pressure stimulates cellular activity that results in granulation tissue formation.⁸
Over subsequent dressing changes, the granulation tissue fills the wound bed, further reducing the volume, and preparing it for final closure.
Learn what sets V.A.C.® Therapy apart.
At 3M we focus on providing better healthcare solutions through science — designing around patients and those who care for them.
As a result of this commitment, bench testing in a simulated wound model with V.A.C.® Therapy versus other leading NPWT systems showed:
- 90% more accurate delivery of negative pressure9
- Removal of fluid 98% faster10
- Removal of the same volume of fluid in 15 minutes that required 24 hours in other systems10
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This is the first-ever silicone hybrid drape for use with V.A.C.® Therapy. The forgiving silicone intelligently contours to the patient's body and allows for drape repositioning upon initial placement, while the high-tack acrylic layer provides a tight seal.
Evidence shows it increases patient comfort: 100% (n=17) of patients in a customer preference test agreed that Dermatac Drape was painless upon removal.¹¹
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V.A.C.® Therapy features proprietary SensaT.R.A.C. Technology. In conjunction with specialized software, V.A.C.® Therapy detects blockages, senses pressure changes, and notifies you with alarms when target pressure is not achieved.
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When granulation tissue formation is a key part of your patient’s healing, choose V.A.C.® Granufoam™ Dressings. These wound dressings come in multiple shapes and sizes to accommodate diverse wounds, and you can easily trim them to fit the contours of deep or irregularly shaped wounds.
For patients with multiple wounds, you can customize the dressings for bridging techniques.
Case study excerpt: Veraflo Therapy with V.A.C. Veraflo Cleanse Choice Dressing - chronic wound.
A 61-year-old female underwent a complex right forefoot reconstruction due to a deformity. Both wound sites, the dorsal and medial incisions, developed a dermal dehiscence and were managed with serial debridements and 3M™ Silvercel™ Non-Adherent Hydro-Alginate Antimicrobial Dressing. The dorsal incision healed, but the medial incision demarcated and increased in depth.
The wound was mostly fibrinous with a small area of exposed bone. V.A.C.® Therapy was applied at -125 mmHg, using a foam dressing and V.A.C. Dermatac Drape. After five days, the wound was mostly granular, with a small area of exposed bone.
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A) Application of 3M™ V.A.C.® Therapy with 3M™ Dermatac™ Drape.
B) Initiation of 3M™ V.A.C.® Therapy.
C) Wound appearance after four days of 3M™ V.A.C.® Therapy.
D) Granulated wound after nine days of 3M™ V.A.C.® Therapy.
Patient data and photos courtesy of Ralph Napolitano, Jr., DPM, CWSP, FACFAS; Orthoneuro; New Albany, OH.
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NOTE: As with any case study, the results and outcomes should not be interpreted as a guarantee or warranty of similar results. Individual results may vary depending on the patient’s circumstances and condition.
Read this and 8 other Dermatac Drape with V.A.C.® Therapy case studies (PDF, 4.5 MB)
Application Guides and Resources for V.A.C.® Therapy
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For wounds without exposed vessels, organs, tendons and nerves. A basic application guide for 3M™ V.A.C.® Therapy.
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Use these guidelines to help establish patient-specific treatment protocols for V.A.C.® Therapy, including safety information, dressing techniques and monitoring standards.
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A quick reference guide with steps to resolve common alerts.
10 million wounds treated worldwide with V.A.C.® Therapy¹
Training opportunities and educational resources.
Deepen your clinical expertise with training opportunities and educational resources designed especially for you.
3M webinars and archived events can help keep you up to date with the latest product guidelines and scientifically supported standards of care.
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Access online courses hosted by Key Opinion Leaders — online and on-demand. Increase your knowledge of the latest techniques and training with the wide range of courses available on 3M℠ Health Care Academy. Discover online learning that's right for you, packed with insights from 3M specialists and industry experts.
Viewing on desktop? Register/Login to view all courses.
See how our proprietary combination of products and technology can help you manage wound care the smart way.
Manage a wide range of wounds with V.A.C.® Therapy
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In a randomized controlled trial (V.A.C.® Therapy: n=169, AMWT: n=166), V.A.C.® Therapy was associated with a significantly greater proportion of DFUs achieving complete closure and fewer amputations at 112 days compared to advanced moist wound therapy (AMWT).¹²
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Discover the difference V.A.C.® Therapy solutions can make, creating an environment that promotes wound healing.
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Approximately 1% of the western population is affected by Venous Leg Ulcers (VLU).13 This chronic condition can have a devastating impact on an individual’s physical and emotional well-being.14 People living with chronic edema and VLUs want to engage fully in everyday activities — without feeling uncomfortable or self-conscious about what’s on their legs and feet.
Explore additional 3M Negative Pressure Wound Therapies
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Veraflo Therapy combines the benefits of NPWT with automated instillation and dwell of topical wound solution to provide simultaneous cleansing and granulation tissue formation.*15,16
*Results have not been confirmed in human studies.
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Prevena Incision Management System manages the environment of closed surgical incisions and removes fluid away from surgical incisions via the application of continuous negative pressure.
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AbThera Therapy System incorporates all the functional elements of an optimal temporary closure device to help protect abdominal contents from the external environment, allowing rapid access for re-entry, medial tension, and fluid removal.
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Snap Therapy is a discreet, single-use system that preserves patient mobility and is ideal for low-to-moderate exuding wounds.
Technical Support
Call 1-800-668-5403 for questions and assistance troubleshooting our therapy units.
References
- 3M. Cumulative NPWT Wounds. 2018.
- Page JC, Newsander B, Schwenke DC, Hansen M, Ferguson J. Retrospective analysis of negative pressure wound therapy in open foot wounds with significant soft tissue defects. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2004;17(7):354-364.
- Law A L. Krebs B. Karnik B. Griffin L. Comparison of Healthcare Costs Associated With Patients Receiving Traditional Negative Pressure Wound Therapies in the Post Acute Setting. Cureus 12(11): e11790.
- Miller-Mikolajczyk C, Achi J, James R. Real world use: comparing early versus late initiation of negative pressure wound therapy on wound surface area reduction in patients at wound care clinics. Poster presented at The Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society Annual Conference, June 22-26, 2013. Seattle, Washington.
- 3M. Cumulative NPWT Wounds. 2021.
- Orgill DP, Manders EK, Sumpio BE, et al. The mechanisms of action of vacuum assisted closure: more to learn. Surgery. 2009 Jul;146(1):40-51.
- Saxena V, Hwang CW, Huang S, Eichbaum Q, Ingber D, Orgill DP. Vacuum-assisted closure: microdeformations of wounds and cell proliferation. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2004 Oct;114(5):1086-96; discussion 1097-8.
- McNulty AK, et al. Effects of negative pressure wound therapy on the fibroblast viability, chemotactic signaling and proliferation in a provisional wound (fibrin) matrix. WOUNDS. 2007; 15:838-‐846.
- Kilpadi DV, Kauffman C. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) systems: ability to deliver prescribed negative pressure (NP) to the wound site. Paper presented at: Symposium on Advanced Wound Care Spring Meeting; April 23-27, 2014; Orlando, FL. Simulated wound bed pressures were measured under combinations of simulated wound-fluid flow rates. VAC therapy achieved acceptable levels of target NP in 9 out of 9 test combinations versus competitor product, which delivered lower than prescribed in 6 out of the 9 tested combinations.
- Kilpadi DV, Kauffman C. Comparing fluid removal by negative pressure wound therapy systems from simulated wound sites. Paper presented at: 36th John A. Boswick, MD Burn and Wound Care Symposium; February 15-19, 2014; Maui, HI.
- Desvigne, M. Initial Experiences Applying Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with a Novel Drape Containing an Acrylic and Silicone-based Adhesive. Poster Presented at the SAWC Fall Meeting, Las Vegas, NV. Oct 2019.
- Blume PA, Walters J, Payne W, Ayala J, Lantis J. Comparison of negative pressure wound therapy using vacuum-assisted closure with advanced moist wound therapy in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(4):631-636.
- Simka, M. & Majewski, E. Am J Clin Dermatol (2003) 4: 573. https://doi.org/10.2165/00128071-200304080-00007.
- Brem H, Kirsner RS, Falanga V. Protocol for the successful management of venous ulcers. Am J Surg 2004 Jul; 188 (1A Suppl):1-8.
- Lessing C, Slack P, Hong KZ, Kilpadi D, McNulty A. Negative Pressure Wound Therapy With Controlled Saline Instillation (NPWTi): Dressing Properties and Granulation Response In Vivo. Wounds. 2011 Oct;23(10):309-19. PMID: 25881108.
- Carroll C, Ingram S. Comparison of Topical Wound Solutions for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation: Effect on Granulation in an Excisional Non-Infected Acute Porcine Wound Model, Poster Presentation at SAWC, Oct 2017.
