Negative Pressure Therapy in Major Lower Extremity Amputation: A Critical Review of Current Randomized Controlled Trials

MedXY Editorial Team•Sep 5, 2026•Clinical Updates

Major lower extremity amputation patients face high rates of postoperative wound complications, a significant clinical burden.
Negative pressure therapy (NPT) has demonstrated efficacy in reducing surgical site infections (SSI) and accelerating rehabilitation in select trials, though overall benefit remains inconsistent.
Large randomized controlled trials reveal no significant overall reduction in wound complications with NPT versus standard dressing but suggest possible advantages in high-risk subgroups such as non-diabetics, patients with ESRD, obesity, or without tissue loss.
Further large, well-powered trials focusing on specific patient cohorts and incorporating longer follow-up and patient-centered outcomes are needed to delineate the role of NPT in this population.

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This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

Major lower extremity amputation patients face high rates of postoperative wound complications, a significant clinical burden.
Negative pressure therapy (NPT) has demonstrated efficacy in reducing surgical site infections (SSI) and accelerating rehabilitation in select trials, though overall benefit remains inconsistent.
Large randomized controlled trials reveal no significant overall reduction in wound complications with NPT versus standard dressing but suggest possible advantages in high-risk subgroups such as non-diabetics, patients with ESRD, obesity, or without tissue loss.
Further large, well-powered trials focusing on specific patient cohorts and incorporating longer follow-up and patient-centered outcomes are needed to delineate the role of NPT in this population.