Kinetic Concepts, Inc. announced today that a new study published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery showed that the Prevena™ Incision Management System used over closed incisions for the first six to seven days after a sternotomy demonstrated a significantly lower infection rate than conventional dressings in obese patients. Poor healing and infection following sternotomy are a significant problem in obese patients, associated with an increased risk of serious illness and death. Prolonged hospital stays and follow-up procedures can also increase the cost of care.

“This study showed that use of the Prevena™ System lead to a statistically significant reduction in infection rates of obese patients following median sternotomy,” said Prof. Onnen Grauhan, Senior Physician, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Germany. “Prevention of surgical site infections following cardiac surgery is much more cost effective than intervention, and the use of negative pressure over closed incisions may provide an answer for surgeons and healthcare providers wanting to avoid complications in this high-risk group of patients.”

The Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin is an internationally renowned high-performance hospital for the treatment of cardiovascular and thoracic diseases, performing over 4500 major cardiovascular surgeries per year.

The prospective study compared the infection rates of 150 consecutive, obese patients who had received median sternotomy for cardiac surgery; 75 patients received negative pressure wound dressing treatments via the Prevena™ System (-125mmHg) for six to seven days, and the remaining 75 patients were given conventional wound dressings. After 90 days, only three (4 percent) of the 75 patients in the Prevena™ Therapy group showed infection, while 12 (16 percent) of the 75 patients in the conventional dressing group had infections at the incision site (p=0.0266).

“Results from this clinical study demonstrated a significant patient benefit in using Prevena™ Therapy on median sternal incisions,” said Ron Silverman, MD, chief medical officer, KCI. “It adds to the growing body of evidence that supports the use of Prevena™ Therapy over closed surgical incisions in patients that are considered at risk for a wound complication.”

The Prevena™ Incision Management System is intended to manage closed incisions that continue to drain following sutured or stapled closure. Prevena™ Therapy is an example of continuing efforts by KCI to change the practice of medicine with solutions that help speed healing, reduce complications and improve the lives of patients.

“Prevena™ Therapy is truly transforming how surgical incisions are healed, thereby expanding our surgical solution platform,” said Joe Woody, president and CEO, KCI. “This highlights the opportunity to expand our full suite of negative pressure wound therapy products into different or adjacent procedures that serve as a key area for growth, providing substantial clinical and economic benefit to our customers and patients.”

About KCI

Kinetic Concepts, Inc. is a leading global medical technology company devoted to understanding, developing and commercializing innovative, high-technology Transformational Healing solutions for customers and patients in more than 20 countries around the world. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, KCI is committed to advancing the science of healing and positively impacting patient care by developing customer-driven innovation to meet the evolving needs of healthcare professionals. Proprietary KCI negative pressure technologies have revolutionized the way in which caregivers treat a wide variety of wound types. The V.A.C.® Therapy System has been used on more than 7 million wounds worldwide. Additional information about KCI and its products is available at www.KCI1.com.

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