The open abdomen can be a life-saving resuscitative manoeuvre in patients with catastrophic abdominal pathologies, however, can lead to the need for delayed primary closure. The most recent guidelines released from the European Hernia Society and World Society for Emergency Surgery both suggest mesh-mediated fascial traction in conjunction with negative pressure wound therapy as the preferred method in this situation. We present a detailed 'how to do it' on this technique.
© 2023 The Authors. ANZ Journal of Surgery published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.