Applications Of Vacuum Sealing Drainage In Treating Seawater-Immersed Mustard Gas Injury

Background It has been confirmed that Vacuum Sealing Drainage(VSD)shows excellent therapeutic effects on all kinds of complex injuries.Yet,there has been no relevant report of VSD treatment on seawater-immersed mustard injury,neither the adequate pressure of vacuum.Objective To investigate the effects of VSD in treating seawater-immersed mustard gas injury under different vacuum pressures,as well as the expression level of IL-6,TNF-α,and VEGF.Thus to clarify the mechanism of VSD in promoting recovery,in order to explore the best pressure of vacuum preliminarily.Methods Six experimental miniature pigs were chosen for the experiment.Four equal seawater-immersed mustard gas injuries were performed on the back of each.After immersed in fresh seawater for 1 hour,all injuries were divided into 3 different experimental groups and a control group randomly.The injuries in the experimental groups were treated with VSD under 3 different vacuum pressures,i.e.-120 mmHg,-180 mmHg,-240 mmHg,while the injuries in the control group treated conventionally.The treatment lasted for 9 days.Tissues of the injuries were sampled on 0,1,3,5,7,9,15,30 d after VSD.Healing rates,levels of IL-6,TNF-α,and VEGF were recorded,calculated and compared to come to a conclusion.Results1.Wound healing rates in the experimental groups were significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).As for the experimental groups,the granulation tissues grew more rapidly,the crawling speed of new epithelium was faster,and the time of recovery was significantly shorter,among which the-180 mm Hg group showed the most obvious effect,followed by the-120 mmHg,then the-240 mmHg.2.The level of TNF-α rose high after the experiment began,and declined after reaching the peak.Compared with the control group,the peak values were lower,and came later,significantly(P<0.05).The-180 mmHg group showed the most obvious effect.3.The level of IL-6 rose high after the experiment began,and declined after reaching the peak.Compared with the control group,the peak values were lower,and came later,significantly(P<0.05).The-180 mmHg group showed the most obvious effect.4.VEGF expressed in full-thickness skin tissues.The expression in experimental groups were significantly higher than that in the control group,with the most obvious expression showed in-180 mmHg group.Conclusions 1.VSD markedly promoted the recovery of seawater-immersed mustard gas injury.2.VSD greatly reduced the level of TNF-α and IL-6 in seawater-immersed mustard gas injury.3.VSD can increase the level of VEGF in in seawater-immersed mustard gas injury.4.In the treating of in seawater-immersed mustard gas injury,VSD showed obvious advantages,and-180 mmHg was an ideal vacuum pressure.It ispossible that-180 mmHg is the optimal pressure of vacuum,though further investigation is still required to make such an conclusion.