A Retrospective Health Economic Analysis of a Stable Hypochlorous Acid Preserved Wound Cleanser Versus 0.9% Saline Solution as Instillation for Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy in Severe and Infected Wounds

Summary

This retrospective health economic analysis compared the cost-effectiveness of hypochlorous acid preserved wound cleanser (HAPWOC) to normal saline as irrigant solution in negative-pressure wound therapy for complex infected wounds. The study examined 27 wounds across 24 patients with varied aetiologies including necrotising fasciitis and diabetic foot ulcers, assessing whether HAPWOC as the instillation medium would reduce overall care costs relative to standard saline. The findings suggest potential economic and clinical benefits of HAPWOC in multimodal wound management protocols, though the observational design and small sample limit causal inference.

UK applicability

Whilst the study was conducted in the United States healthcare system, the clinical findings regarding wound irrigation agents in negative-pressure wound therapy may have limited direct applicability to UK practice, which operates under different cost structures and procurement frameworks via the NHS. UK wound care protocols and health economic thresholds would require separate evaluation.

Key measures

Healthcare costs, wound healing outcomes, infection resolution rates, length of treatment, hospitalisation duration

Outcomes reported

The study compared healthcare costs and clinical outcomes associated with using hypochlorous acid preserved wound cleanser versus 0.9% saline solution as irrigant in negative-pressure wound therapy for severe and infected wounds. The analysis likely assessed cost-effectiveness, wound healing rates, infection resolution, and resource utilisation between treatment groups.

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