This article looks at the changes to negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) since its introduction from larger units that were used mainly in wound care clinics with inpatients to the more recent, portable units that can be used in patients’ homes. It briefly explores the evidence base for NPWT, and the ways in which it works. Despite the benefits of NPWT, there is still limited use in the community setting which, may relate to patients having difficulty in dealing with systems. A new small ultra-lightweight model for NPWT — PICO® (Smith & Nephew) — has been designed, which is suited for use in the community and also for skin grafts and closed surgical incisions.
