PICO Negative Pressure for Uninfected Foot Ulcers and Wound Dehiscence (BALPIC)

Acute postoperative wound dehiscence and foot ulcers represent a frequent clinical challenge in adult orthopedic patients worldwide. According to institutional data, wound dehiscence occurs in 2-5% of elective orthopedic procedures, depending on surgery type, patient comorbidities, and obesity. Among patients with diabetes, approximately half will develop foot ulcers during their lifetime.

The management of non-infected wounds can be either surgical (revision surgery with primary closure) or conservative (professional debridement and wound care with or without negative pressure wound therapy). Despite widespread clinical experience with NPWT in orthopedic surgery, high-quality prospective evidence remains scarce. The orthopedic literature lacks adequately powered randomized controlled trials comparing NPWT to standard wound care for acute, non-infected wound dehiscence.

The investigators hypothesize that NPWT leads to superior wound closure rates (85% vs. 70%) and accelerated healing compared to professional debridement alone. The PICO Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System creates a closed environment over the wound, evacuating exudate into an absorptive dressing while promoting secondary closure through controlled suction at -80 mmHg.

The BALPIC trial evaluates a therapeutic concept rather than comparing different NPWT devices. Infected wounds are excluded, as NPWT is conventionally avoided over purulent wounds to allow free drainage. Wound assessment is performed by specialized wound nurses using standardized measurements and photographic documentation.

Inclusion criteria

• - Age ≥ 18 years
• Able to consent
• Patient of orthopaedic surgery or of the (Diabetic) Foot Polyclinic at the Balgrist University Hospital
• Presence of an acute, dehiscent, clinically uninfected wound requiring additional measures
• First episode of wound treatment for the actual wound (no recurrences) in the last 12 months
• Wound measuring ≥ 0.5 cm in wide, length or depth
• 42 days of scheduled follow-up
• Bacterial orthopaedic infections of any nature, independently of implants or co-morbidities; according to clinical, laboratory, radiological, microbiological features of infection
• First or second episode of infection

Exclusion criteria

• - Patient's individual refusal to participate
• Patient already treated with any vacuum-assisted wound device for any wound in the last 12 months; independently of therapy success, the hospital or the localization of the prior wound
• Underlying liquor leak (spine surgery)
• Visually active bleeding from the wound
• Wound size >10 cm in any dimension
• Anticipated active clinical follow-up of less than 42 days
• Other wound treatments besides PICO and debridement (e.g. hyperbaric oxygen therapy, other negative-pressure devices, local antibiotics, local antibiotic dressings) (however, local antiseptics and dressing changes remain allowed)
• Immediate surgical wound revision in the operating theatre for closure
• Planned plastic or reconstructive surgery already at inclusion