Are non-healing wounds getting your patients stuck on the road to recovery?

PICO^◊Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (sNPWT), with AIRLOCK^◊ Technology, helps to kick-start wound healing, enabling you to free your patients from the burden of stalled wounds.*^1–3

Get back on track with PICO◊ sNPWT

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Non-healing wounds are more than just a clinical challenge

Non-healing wounds (NHWs) can be defined as any wound that has not responded to standard treatment and has reduced by less than 40% in 4 weeks.⁴

Beyond the clinical complexity, NHWs present both personal and economic challenges.^5,6

Time doesn’t heal all wounds, but the right care, at the right moment, can.

Uncover deeper insights into stalled healing through data from 1,057 wounds.

NHWs are associated with an increased risk of complications, contributing to greater resource utilisation, delayed hospital discharge, and higher mortality.^5,13–17

Early use of advanced therapies can be the difference between progression towards healing and ongoing chronicity³

Consider NPWT to get your patients back on track

NPWT helps stimulate the formation of granulation tissue, increase blood flow, reduce oedema and accelerate wound closure compared to standard care.^1–4,6,8
By addressing cost drivers such as prolonged healing, frequent dressing changes and complications, NPWT offers a valuable solution for optimising care.^8,9
NPWT offers convenient and effective treatment in the comfort of patients’ homes, improving quality of life compared to hospital care.¹⁰

NPWT through the eyes of the experts

In these short videos, leading clinicians share their expectations for local wound treatment and discuss the benefits of NPWT for patients.

NPWT has the potential to alter the course of NHWs by helping to initiate the healing response.

^{3,14,24,25,31,33–36}

Spot stalled healing with our clinician e-learning module.

PICO^◊ sNPWT is a lightweight, portable device that delivers consistent negative pressure without the need for a canister.^1,2,36–39

“It’s subtle, it’s under the clothing, it’s a small device, the patient can continue with their day-to-day work life.⁴⁰”

Rosemary Hill, Wound Ostomy Nurse at Lions Gate Hospital, Vancouver.

PICO◊ sNPWT: Clinical impact powered by design innovation

PICO^◊ sNPWT, delivers 360° pro-active therapy that addresses key barriers to wound healing.^{23–25,27–32,36,43–47} By activating the biology of healing and providing a pro-healing environment, PICO^◊ sNPWT supports the recovery of your patients with NHWs.

Evidence shows that using PICO◊ sNPWT as an active treatment, with its multiple mechanisms of action, can help improve healing rates in NHWs,

thereby helping reduce associated nursing resources and costs (compared to standard dressings).^3,41,48

Discover the data that underpins PICO◊ sNPWT. Access our evidence compendium.

Abbreviations

IFU, instructions for use; MoA, mechanism of action; NHW, non-healing wound; NPWT, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy; sNPWT, single-use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy; tNPWT, traditional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy.

References:
1. Smith and Nephew. PICO♢ 7 Quick reference guide. Available at: https://www.smith-nephew.com/en-gb/health-care-professionals/products/advanced-wound-management/pico-7-global#overview Accessed June 2025.
2. Smith and Nephew. PICO♢ 14 Quick reference guide. Available at: https://www.smith-nephew.com/en-gb/health-care-professionals/products/advanced-wound-management/pico-14-global#productfeatures Accessed June 2025. 3. Dowsett C, Hampton K, Myers D, Styche T. Use of PICO to improve clinical and economic outcomes in hard-to-heal wounds. Wounds International. 2017;8 (2):52-58.
4. Wounds UK. Active treatment of non-healing wounds in the community. 2022. Available at: https://wounds-uk.com/best-practice-statements/active-treatment-non-healing-wounds-community/ Accessed June 2025.
5. Guest JF, Fuller GW, Vowden P. Cohort study evaluating the burden of wounds to the UK's National Health Service in 2017/2018: update from 2012/2013. BMJ Open. 2020;10(12):e045253.
6. Upton D, South F. The psychological consequences of wounds - a vicious circle that should not be overlooked. 2011. Available at: https://wounds-uk.com/journal-articles/the-psychological-consequences-of-wounds-a-vicious-circle-that-should-not-be-overlooked/ Accessed June 2025.
7. Kapp S, Santamaria N. The financial and quality-of-life cost to patients living with a chronic wound in the community. Int Wound J. 2017;14(6):1108–1119.
8. Hwang JM. Time is tissue. Want to save millions in wound care? Start early: a QI project to expedite referral of high-risk wound care patients to specialised care. BMJ Open Qual. 2023;12(1):e002206.
9. Sen CK. Human Wound and Its Burden: Updated 2022 Compendium of Estimates. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2023;12(12):657–670.
10. Nussbaum SR, Carter MJ, Fife CE, et al. An Economic Evaluation of the Impact, Cost, and Medicare Policy Implications of Chronic Nonhealing Wounds. Value Health. 2018;21(1):27–32.
11. Queen D, Harding K. What's the true costs of wounds faced by different healthcare systems around the world? Int Wound J. 2023;20(10):3935–3938.
12. Milne J, Searle R, Styche T. The characteristics and impact of hard-to-heal wounds: results of a standardised survey. J Wound Care. 2020;29(5):282–288.
13. Dowsett C. Reducing the burden of chronic wounds in the community with single-use NPWT. J Community Nurs. 2015;29(suppl):1–19.
14. McCluskey P, Brennan K, Mullan J, et al. Impact of a single-use negative pressure wound therapy system on healing. JCN. 2020;34(1):36–43.
15. Frykberg RG, Banks J. Challenges in the Treatment of Chronic Wounds. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2015 Sep 1;4(9):560–582.
16. Apelqvist, J, Willy, C, Fagerdahl, A.M. et al. Negative Pressure Wound Therapy – overview, challenges and perspectives. J Wound Care. 2017; 26: 3, Suppl 3, S1–S113.
17. Romanelli M, Dini V, Bertone M, Barbanera S, Brilli C. OASIS® wound matrix versus Hyaloskin® in the treatment of difficult‐to‐heal wounds of mixed arterial/venous aetiology. International wound journal. 2007;4(1):3–7.
18. Wallace HA, Basehore BM, Zito PM. Wound Healing Phases. 2023 Jun 12. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
19. Wiig H. Pathophysiology of tissue fluid accumulation in inflammation. J Physiol. 2011;589(Pt 12):2945–2953.
20. Verdolino DV, Thomason HA, Fotticchia A, et al. Wound dressings: curbing inflammation in chronic wound healing. Emerging Topics in Life Sciences. 2021; 5:523–537.
21. Hess CT. Checklist for factors affecting wound healing. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2011;24(4):192.
22. Thanapaul RJRS, Shvedova M, shin GH, et al. An Insight into Aging, Senescence, and Their Impacts on Wound Healing. Adv Geriatr Med Res. 2021;3(3):e210017.
23. CSD.AWM.24.065 - Assessment of the Effect of the PICO◊ 7 Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System and Conventional Dressings on PreEstablished Biofilms in vitro Using a Wound Surface Biofilm Model.
24. Smith & Nephew 2019. PICO Biomechanical Study. Internal Report. DS/19/211/R.
25. Smith+Nephew 2021. PICO™ Pressure Mapping Study. Internal Report. DS/19/211/R - Part B.
26. WUWHS Consensus document Wound Exudate effective assessment and management; 2019.
27. Smith+Nephew November 2018. The Review Of Evidence Supporting The Use Of PICO In Wounds 2cm In Depth. Internal report EO.AWM.PCS230.001.v2.
28. Scalise A, Calamita R, Tartaglione C, et al. Improving wound healing and preventing surgical site complications of closed surgical incisions: a possible role of Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy. A systematic review of the literature. Int Wound J. 2016;13:1260–1281.
29. Malmsjö M, Huddleston E, Martin R. Biological effects of a disposable, canisterless negative pressure wound therapy system. ePlasty. 2014;14:e15.
30. Smith+Nephew July 2018.PICO 7Y Non-NPWT Wound Model Summary. Internal Report. DS.18.260.R.
31. Hurd T, Gilchrist B. Single use negative pressure wound therapy (sNPWT) in the community management of chronic open wounds deeper than 2cm. Paper presented at: Symposium on Advanced Wound Care/Wound Healing Society Meeting; 2020; Abu Dhabi.
32. Brownhill VR, Huddleston E, Bell A, et al. Pre-Clinical Assessment of Single-Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy During In Vivo Porcine Wound Healing. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2020;0(0):1 –12.
33. Hughes J, Costello M, Belshaw M, et al. The burden of dehisced wounds in the community: using early results from a multi-centre service evaluation to propose a standard of care to improve patient outcomes and safeguard wound care budgets. British Journal of Healthcare Management. 2021;27(1):16–25.
34. Hampton J. Providing cost-effective treatment of hard-to-heal wounds in the community through use of NPWT. British journal of community nursing. 2015;20(Sup6):S14–S20.
35. Hurd T, Trueman P, Rossington A. Use of a portable, single-use negative pressure wound therapy device in home care patients with low to moderately exuding wounds: a case series. Ostomy/Wound Management. 2014;60(3):30–6.
36. Casey C. Consistent delivery of therapeutic negative pressure levels by a single use negative pressure wound therapy system (sNPWT)* in a wound model. Paper presented at: EWMA; 2019; Gothenburg, Sweden.
37. Smith and Nephew. PICO♢ Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System for complex and hard-to-heal wounds Core Value Dossier. 2021.
38. Smith+Nephew December 2018.PICO 14 Service Life Testing: 14 Day Device Lifespan. Internal Report. RD/18/132.
39. Smith+Nephew January 2019.Air Leak Tolerance Report: A comparison of PICO v2 (PICO 7 and PICO 14) Devices to PICO vl.6 (PlCO) Devices. Internal Report. RD/19/006.
40. Smith and Nephew. Use of PICO° 7 SNPWT in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) video. Presented by Rosemary Hill, Wound Ostomy Nurse at Lions Gate Hospital, Vancouver.
41. Kirsner R, Dove C, Reyzelman, et al. A prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial on the efficacy of a single-use negative pressure wound therapy system, compared to traditional negative pressure wound therapy in the treatment of chronic ulcers of the lower extremities. Wound Repair Regen. 2019;27(5):519-529.
42. Patel A, Delhougne G, Nherera L. Comparison of wound closure in chronic lower extremity ulcers between single use negative pressure wound therapy and traditional negative pressure wound therapy: a real-world analysis. Wild on Wounds National Conference. September 11–14, 2019. Las Vegas, NV, USA.
43. Smith+Nephew 2020. Bacterial barrier testing of the PICO dressing. Internal report 2001002.
44. Loveluck J, Copeland, T, Hill J, Hunt A, Martin R. Biomechanical Modeling of the Forces Applied to Closed Incisions During Single-Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy. ePlasty. 2016;16:183–195.
45. Xia CY, Yu AX, Qi B, et al. Analysis of blood flow and local expression of angiogenesis associated growth factors in infected wounds treated with negative pressure wound therapy. Mol Med Rep. 2014;9(5):1749–1754.
46. Kilpadi DV, Cunningham MR. Evaluation of closed incision management with negative pressure wound
therapy (CIM): hematoma/seroma and involvement of the lymphatic system. Wound Repair Regen. 2011;19(5):588–596.
47. Ma Z, Shou K, Li Z, et al. Negative pressure wound therapy promotes vessel destabilization and maturation at various stages of wound healing and thus infl uences wound prognosis. Exp Ther Med. 2016;11(4):1307–1317.
48. Kirsner RS, Delhougne G, Searle RJ. A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Comparing Single-use and Traditional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy to Treat Chronic Venous and Diabetic Foot Ulcers. Wound Manag Prev. 2020;66(3):30-36.
49. Gupta S, Sagar S Maheshwari G, et al. Chronic wounds: magnitude, socioeconomic burden and consequences. Wounds Asia. 2021;4(1).
50. Schwartz JA, Goss SG, Facchin F, et al. Single-use negative pressure wound therapy for the treatment of chronic lower leg wounds. J Wound Care. 2015;24, Suppl 2:S4-9.

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