Wound HealingVAC-WOUNDNCT07832162
Comparison of Wound Healing Duration Between Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) and Conventional Dressings
A study testing Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) Therapy Description: and Conventional Wound Dressing in people with Wound Healing, run by Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
This randomized controlled trial will compare vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy with conventional wound dressings for the treatment of open contaminated and dirty wounds. The study will be conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 15 to 60 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Wound Healing
- What is being tested?
- Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) Therapy Description: and Conventional Wound Dressing
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 20 Sep 2026to 9 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 15 to 60 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients having open contaminated and dirty wounds of size 5 - 10cm as per operational definition.
- Patients between ages 15 to 60 years.
- Both gender
- ASA grade I \& II
- Willing to provide written informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Patients with wounds having dry eschar, malignancy in wound, untreated osteomyelitis, exposed blood vessels and organs, long term anticoagulant therapy, bleeding disorders and fistula to organ / body cavities. Dermatological disorders like acute dermatitis, fungal infections of perianal region.
- All the patients presented with exposed bone, tendons or nerve will be excluded from study
- Pregnant women.
- Patients on medications, such as corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents or chemotherapy. All above will be assessed on history and documented medical history.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Pakistan1 site
Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre
Karachi, Sindh, 74600
Syeda Raza Syeda Raza, mbbs /fcps, 03310324008, zarreen.raza@jsmu.edu.pk
Dr Aourangzaib Balouch, mbbs/fcps
About this study
Official title: Comparison of Mean Duration of Wound Healing Between Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) and Conventional Dressings for the Treatment of Wounds in Patients
This randomized controlled trial will compare vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy with conventional wound dressings for the treatment of open contaminated and dirty wounds. The study will be conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi. Eligible patients aged 15 to 60 years with open contaminated or dirty wounds measuring 5-10 cm and classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade I or II will be randomly allocated to either VAC therapy or conventional dressings. The primary outcome will be mean duration of wound healing, measured in days from initiation of the assigned treatment until complete wound healing according to predefined clinical criteria. The study will compare the duration of wound healing between the two treatment groups.
Read the detailed description
This randomized controlled trial is designed to compare the mean duration of wound healing between vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy and conventional wound dressings in patients with open contaminated or dirty wounds.
The study will be conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi. Patients aged 15-60 years of either sex with open contaminated or dirty wounds measuring 5-10 cm and classified as ASA grade I or II will be considered for inclusion. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants before enrollment.
A total of 60 participants will be enrolled and randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to two parallel treatment groups. Group A will receive VAC therapy, while Group B will receive conventional wound dressings.
All wounds will be thoroughly irrigated with normal saline, and surgical debridement will be performed when clinically indicated. In Group A, the wound will be covered with polyurethane foam, followed by application of an airtight dressing connected to a negative-pressure system. Intermittent negative pressure of 125 mmHg will be applied using cycles of 45 minutes ON and 15 minutes OFF. VAC dressings will be changed every 48-72 hours.
In Group B, saline-soaked conventional dressings will be applied and changed every 24 hours. Participants in both groups will be assessed for wound healing and wound-related complications during the treatment period.
The primary outcome will be mean duration of wound healing, measured in days from initiation of the assigned treatment until complete wound healing according to predefined clinical criteria. Wound surface area may also be assessed as a separate secondary outcome if it is prespecified in the study protocol.
Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 23. Quantitative variables will be assessed for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Normally distributed continuous variables will be summarized using mean and standard deviation, while non-normally distributed variables will be summarized using median and interquartile range. Categorical variables will be presented as frequencies and percentages. The duration of wound healing will be compared between groups using an independent-samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate. A p-value of <0.05 will be considered statistically significant.
- Conditions
- Wound Healing
- Being tested
- Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) Therapy Description:, Conventional Wound Dressing
- Keywords
- VAC THERAPY, NEGATIVE PRESSURE WOUND THERAPY, CONVENTIONAL WOUND DRESSING, WOUND HEALING, SURGICAL WOUNDS, WOUND CARE, Vacuum-Assisted Closure
- Medical subject headings
- Surgical Wound
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) Therapy Description:Device
The wound will be covered with polyurethane foam and a multi-hole drain will be placed over it. The dressing will be sealed with an airtight dressing and connected to a negative-pressure system providing intermittent negative pressure of 125 mmHg, with 45 minutes ON and 15 minutes OFF cycles. VAC dressing changes will be performed every 48-72 hours.
Conventional Wound DressingOther
Saline-soaked dressing will be placed over the wound and bandage applied, with dressing changes every 24 hours
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| VAC Therapy | Experimental | Participants will receive vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy for wound management. Receives: Device: Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) Therapy Description: |
| Conventional Dressing | Active comparator | Participants will receive conventional saline-soaked wound dressings. Receives: Other: Conventional Wound Dressing |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Duration of Wound Healing
Duration of wound healing, measured in days from initiation of the assigned treatment until complete wound healing according to the predefined clinical criteria. The mean duration in days will be compared between the VAC therapy and conventional dressing groups.
Measured: From initiation of treatment until complete wound healing, up to 2 weeks.
Secondary outcomes (3)
Wound Infection
Frequency of wound infection during the treatment period, based on predefined clinical criteria.
Measured: From initiation of treatment until completion of the 2-week follow-up period.
Length of Hospital Stay
Number of days from hospital admission until discharge.
Measured: During the index hospital admission.
Need for Additional Surgical Intervention
Proportion of participants requiring additional surgical intervention for wound management during the study period.
Measured: From initiation of treatment until completion of the 2-week follow-up period.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Sep 2026
- Study start20 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion9 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion9 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Wound HealingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly allocated by lottery method to one of two parallel treatment groups. Group A will receive vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy, while Group B will receive conventional wound dressings. The duration of wound healing will be compared between the two groups.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre
- Sponsor type
- Other government
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Syeda Zareen Raza, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07832162
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- NO.F.2-81/2026-GENL/279/JPMC
- Acronym
- VAC-WOUND
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 21 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers. The data will be collected and used solely for the purposes of this study and will be maintained confidentially in accordance with institutional and ethical requirements.
Publications
Jamali MA, Memon SA, Sameena N, Tahmida A. Vacuum assisted closure versus conventional dressings in treatment of open untidy wounds. Esculapio. 2016;12(3):139-144.
Cheema SA, Hafsa N, Shumaila RD, Urwa TA. Comparison of vacuum assisted closure technique versus conventional dressing for management of wounds in term of duration of wound healing. Ann Pak Med Coll. 2020;14(1):1-4.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Comparison of Mean Duration of Wound Healing Between Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) and Conventional Dressings for the Treatment of Wounds in Patients
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07832162
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- VAC-WOUND / NO.F.2-81/2026-GENL/279/JPMC
- Conditions
- Wound Healing
- Keywords
- VAC THERAPY, NEGATIVE PRESSURE WOUND THERAPY, CONVENTIONAL WOUND DRESSING, WOUND HEALING, SURGICAL WOUNDS, WOUND CARE, Vacuum-Assisted Closure
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Jinnah Postgraduate Medical CentreOther government
- Study start
- 20 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 9 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 9 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This randomized controlled trial will compare vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy with conventional wound dressings for the treatment of open contaminated and dirty wounds. The study will be conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi. Eligible patients aged 15 to 60 years with open contaminated or dirty wounds measuring 5-10 cm and classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade I or II will be randomly allocated to either VAC therapy or conventional dressings. The primary outcome will be mean duration of wound healing, measured in days from initiation of the assigned treatment until complete wound healing according to predefined clinical criteria. The study will compare the duration of wound healing between the two treatment groups.
Detailed description
This randomized controlled trial is designed to compare the mean duration of wound healing between vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy and conventional wound dressings in patients with open contaminated or dirty wounds.
The study will be conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi. Patients aged 15-60 years of either sex with open contaminated or dirty wounds measuring 5-10 cm and classified as ASA grade I or II will be considered for inclusion. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants before enrollment.
A total of 60 participants will be enrolled and randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to two parallel treatment groups. Group A will receive VAC therapy, while Group B will receive conventional wound dressings.
All wounds will be thoroughly irrigated with normal saline, and surgical debridement will be performed when clinically indicated. In Group A, the wound will be covered with polyurethane foam, followed by application of an airtight dressing connected to a negative-pressure system. Intermittent negative pressure of 125 mmHg will be applied using cycles of 45 minutes ON and 15 minutes OFF. VAC dressings will be changed every 48-72 hours.
In Group B, saline-soaked conventional dressings will be applied and changed every 24 hours. Participants in both groups will be assessed for wound healing and wound-related complications during the treatment period.
The primary outcome will be mean duration of wound healing, measured in days from initiation of the assigned treatment until complete wound healing according to predefined clinical criteria. Wound surface area may also be assessed as a separate secondary outcome if it is prespecified in the study protocol.
Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 23. Quantitative variables will be assessed for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Normally distributed continuous variables will be summarized using mean and standard deviation, while non-normally distributed variables will be summarized using median and interquartile range. Categorical variables will be presented as frequencies and percentages. The duration of wound healing will be compared between groups using an independent-samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate. A p-value of <0.05 will be considered statistically significant.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly allocated by lottery method to one of two parallel treatment groups. Group A will receive vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy, while Group B will receive conventional wound dressings. The duration of wound healing will be compared between the two groups.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| VAC Therapy | Experimental | Device: Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) Therapy Description:Participants will receive vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy for wound management. |
| Conventional Dressing | Active comparator | Other: Conventional Wound DressingParticipants will receive conventional saline-soaked wound dressings. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 15 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Patients having open contaminated and dirty wounds of size 5 - 10cm as per operational definition.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Patients with wounds having dry eschar, malignancy in wound, untreated osteomyelitis, exposed blood vessels and organs, long term anticoagulant therapy, bleeding disorders and fistula to organ / body cavities. Dermatological disorders like acute dermatitis, fungal infections of perianal region.
- All the patients presented with exposed bone, tendons or nerve will be excluded from study
- Pregnant women.
- Patients on medications, such as corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents or chemotherapy. All above will be assessed on history and documented medical history.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) Therapy Description:The wound will be covered with polyurethane foam and a multi-hole drain will be placed over it. The dressing will be sealed with an airtight dressing and connected to a negative-pressure system providing intermittent negative pressure of 125 mmHg, with 45 minutes ON and 15 minutes OFF cycles. VAC dressing changes will be performed every 48-72 hours. | Device | VAC Therapy |
| Conventional Wound DressingSaline-soaked dressing will be placed over the wound and bandage applied, with dressing changes every 24 hours | Other | Conventional Dressing |
Primary outcome
Duration of Wound Healing
Time frame: From initiation of treatment until complete wound healing, up to 2 weeks.
Duration of wound healing, measured in days from initiation of the assigned treatment until complete wound healing according to the predefined clinical criteria. The mean duration in days will be compared between the VAC therapy and conventional dressing groups.
3 secondary outcomes
Wound Infection
Time frame: From initiation of treatment until completion of the 2-week follow-up period.
Length of Hospital Stay
Time frame: During the index hospital admission.
Need for Additional Surgical Intervention
Time frame: From initiation of treatment until completion of the 2-week follow-up period.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 Sep 2026.
- Results publicationJamali MA, Memon SA, Sameena N, Tahmida A. Vacuum assisted closure versus conventional dressings in treatment of open untidy wounds. Esculapio. 2016;12(3):139-144.
- Results publicationCheema SA, Hafsa N, Shumaila RD, Urwa TA. Comparison of vacuum assisted closure technique versus conventional dressing for management of wounds in term of duration of wound healing. Ann Pak Med Coll. 2020;14(1):1-4.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers. The data will be collected and used solely for the purposes of this study and will be maintained confidentially in accordance with institutional and ethical requirements.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) Therapy Description: and Conventional Wound Dressing in people with Wound Healing, run by Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Dr Aourangzaib Dr Aourangzaib, MBBS, FCPS (03347476661, zaibb9032@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Duration of Wound Healing (time frame: From initiation of treatment until complete wound healing, up to 2 weeks.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07832162, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Sep 2026.