PICO^◊ Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System (sNPWT)

Discover our PICO range –an sNPWT system backed by more than 300 studies, including 60 RCTs.¹ The PICO System, by delivering consistent therapy beyond the zone of injury^2-3, helps to reduce the risk of surgical site complications⁴ and helps kick-start the healing process in hard-to-heal wounds.⁵

GMC0746_PICO_14_HERO_15X30_DRESSING_FLOOR_ON_LIGHT_NO_BACKGROUND.png

What is NPWT?

NPWT is an active therapy that applies continuous or intermittent subatmospheric pressure to the wound surface to promote healing.⁶ It draws out excess fluid^7-11 and helps protect the wound environment.^12-21 The therapy is delivered using a sealed, specialised dressing connected via a tube to an active suction pump.

PICO sNPWT – Designed to fit, built to perform

PICO single-use NPWT system (sNPWT) is designed to make negative pressure wound therapy easy to use.²² Unlike traditional NPWT, the PICO system is lightweight and portable,^23-26 making it suitable for use in hospital and community settings alike.

Indications

PICO sNPWT is indicated for both closed surgical incisions and hard-to-heal wounds.

PICO sNPWT unique features

A lightweight, portable pump that delivers a consistent –80mmHg of negative pressure, with visual alerts for air leaks, low battery and dressing changes.

Developed to be pocket-sized and convenient, patients have a greater sense of freedom while undergoing NPWT.^{22, 23, 25}

Safe and effective for use in inpatient and outpatient settings as it is easy to apply and remove^22,23,32, and minimises the impact on patients' daily routines.^22,30

Can be used with fillers on deep wounds and is compatible with compression therapy or adjuvant pressure garment therapy (PGT), such as hosiery or elastic garments following surgery.^30,33,34

How PICO sNPWT works

The PICO sNPWT System, equipped with its 360^°dressing technology^{2,13,14,36,38-40} provides a “pro-active therapy” to help protect^13-21 and promote^{2,16,18-21,39} the healing process beyond the zone of injury^***2,16

Above – Protect the healing process

The PICO sNPWT System protects and provides a pro-healing environment.^13,36,38-39 by:

Removing excess fluid and inflammation⁴¹
Protecting wound and peri-wound area from excess fluid, locking it away^18,36
Protecting from external contamination³⁷

Beyond and below – Activate the biology of healing^3,15,16,39

PICO sNPWT with AIRLOCK Technology delivers negative pressure across a wider zone beyond the wound itself and activates the biology of healing across the zone of injury.^{3,13,15-20,30,36-37,39,41}

A wider zone of therapy may help:

Oedema and interstitial fluid management^15-16
Blood flow¹⁸
Fibroblast migration⁴²
Granulation tissue formation^14,39
Re‑epithelialisation⁴²

Choose your PICO System

The PICO sNPWT range is built to support a wide variety of surgical and wound care scenarios with flexibility and simplicity at its core.

Application and troubleshooting

PICO sNPWT is engineered as an easy-to-use^22,33 solution with straightforward troubleshooting steps to help resolve common issues and resume active therapy.

Closed surgical incisions application guides

Open wounds application guides

Quick reference guides

Get access to key application and troubleshooting information about PICO sNPWT Systems in one place.

Ordering information

The following are product ordering code to buy PICO Dressings outside of the United States. Click here to download the PDF.

Dressing sizes	Fluid handling capacity	PICO 7 System	PICO 7 System	PICO 14 System	Multipack	PICO 7Y device
Dressing sizes	Fluid handling capacity	+1 dressing	+2 dressings	+2 dressings	5 dressings	2 dressings
Multisite small 15 x 20 cm	Up to 135 ml^*	66802010	66802000	66802040	66802020
Multisite large 20 x 25 cm	Up to 272 ml^*	66802011	66802001	66802041	66802021	66802031
9 x 15 cm	Up to 44 ml^*	66807749	66807754	66807757
10 x 20 cm	Up to 82 ml^*	66802012	66802002	66802042	66802022
10 x 25 cm	Up to 110 ml^*	66807752	66807750	66807755	66807758
10 x 55 cm	Up to 275 ml^*	66807753	66807751	66807756	66807759
10 x 30 cm	Up to 137 ml^*	66802013	66802003	66802043	66802023
10 x 40 cm	Up to 192 ml^*	66802014	66802004	66802044	66802024
10 x 25 cm	Up to 110 ml^*	TBC
15 x 15 cm	Up to 110 ml^*	66802015	66802005	66802045	66802025
15 x 20 cm	Up to 165 ml^*	66802016	66802006	66802046	66802026
15 x 30 cm	Up to 275 ml^*	66802017	66802007	66802047	66802027
20 x 20 cm	Up to 247 ml^*	66802018	66802008	66802048	66802028
25 x 25 cm	Up to 440 ml^*	66802019	66802009	66802049	66802029

Size	Code
10 x 12.5 cm	66801021
11.4 cm x 3.7 m	66802127

Medical education

Disclaimers

^*Derived from a bench testing of a PICO sNPWT Dressing remaining in place for up to 4 days on a moderately exuding wound (1.1 g/cm²/24hrs). These calculations give an indication of the amount of fluid that is expected to be managed; actual values in use may be altered by environmental conditions, such as occlusion of the dressing or incorrect positioning of port.

^**The PICO sNPWT functions through a physical mode of action (MoA). All therapeutic effects described, such as reduction of biofilm, fluid removal, stimulation of lymphatic flow, and activation of cellular responses, e.g., fibroblast migration or angiogenesis, are mechanically induced through the application of uniform negative pressure and compressive forces. These effects are not the result of biological, chemical, or pharmacological interactions, and should not be interpreted as such. This information is intended to support understanding of the physical mechanisms by which the PICO System may contribute to an optimal wound healing environment.

^***Derived from a bench testing of a PICO sNPWT Dressing remaining in place for up to 4 days on a moderately exuding wound (1.1 g/cm²/24hrs). These calculations give an indication of the amount of fluid that is expected to be managed; actual values in use may be altered by environmental conditions, such as occlusion of the dressing or incorrect positioning of port.

^****P<0.00001; meta-analysis of 19 studies (odds ratio (OR):0.37).

Products may not be available in all markets because product availability is subject to the regulatory and/or medical practices in individual markets. Please contact your Smith+Nephew representative or distributor if you have questions about the availability of Smith+Nephew products in your area. For detailed product information, including indications for use, contraindications, precautions and warnings, please consult the product’s applicable Instructions for Use (IFU) prior to use.

The contents of this website are intended for healthcare professionals only.

Citations

Evidence analysis report; EA/AWM/PICO/030/v3.
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.
Smith+Nephew 2018. RD/18/132
Saunders C, Nherera LM, Horner A, Truman P. The incidence of surgical site complications with PICO single-use negative pressure wound therapy compared to conventional dressings when used prophylactically on closed surgical incisions: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. BJS Open. 2021;5(1):zraa003
Dowsett C, Hampton J, 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. Available at: Wounds International
Capobianco CM, Zgonis T. An overview of negative pressure wound therapy for the lower extremity. Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. 2009;26(4), 619-631.
Smith & Nephew January 2018. Summary Wound Model Report for Opal, PICO 7. Internal Report. DS.18.015.R.
Smith & Nephew 2015. A Prospective, Open, Non-Comparative, Multi-Centre Study to Evaluate the Functionality and Dressing Performance of a New Negative Pressure Enhanced Dressing (NPED) in Acute Wounds. Internal Report. CT09/02 ST865.
Payne, C., And Edwards, D., Application of the Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Device (PICO) on a Heterogeneous Group of Surgical and Traumatic Wounds. ePlasty. 2014;14:152-166.
Sharp, E. Single-use NPWT for the treatment of complex orthopaedic surgical and trauma wounds. Journal of Wound Care. 2013;22(10):S5-S9.
Stryja, J., Staffa, R., Říha, D., Stryjová, K., Nicielniková, K. [Cost-effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy in outpatient setting]. Rozhledy v chirurgii : mesicnik Ceskoslovenske chirurgicke spolecnosti. 2015;94(8):322-328.
Hudson, D.A., Adams, K.G., Van Huyssteen, A., Martin, R., Huddleston, E.M. Simplified negative pressure wound therapy: clinical evaluation of an ultraportable, no-canister system. Int Wound J. 2015;12(2):195-201.
Smith+Nephew 2024. Assessment of the Effect of the PICO◊ 7 Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System and Conventional Dressings on Pre-Established Biofilms in vitro Using a Wound Surface Biofilm Model. Report: AWM.24.065
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.
Smith & Nephew 2019. PICO Biomechanical Study. Internal Report. DS/19/211/R Smith+Nephew 2021.
PICO™ Pressure Mapping Study. Internal Report. DS/19/211/R - Part B.
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.
Malmsjö M, Huddleston E, Martin R. Biological effects of a disposable, canisterless negative pressure wound therapy system. ePlasty. 2014;14:e15.
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.
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.
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 influences wound prognosis. Exp Ther Med. 2016;11(4):1307–1317.
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 Manage. 2014;60(3):30-36.
Gilchrist B, et al. Performance, safety, and efficacy of a single use negative pressure wound therapy system for surgically closed incision sites and skin grafts: A prospective multi-centre follow-up study. Paper presented at: SAWC; 2020; Virtual.
Smith+Nephew 2020. Internal Report. 2001002.
Smith+Nephew. Internal Report. RD/18/137.
Smith+Nephew 2018. Internal Report. DS.18.066.R.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. PICO negative pressure wound dressings for closed surgical incisions (MTG43). 2019.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. MTG review decision document. 2024.
Saunders C, Nherera LM, Horner A, Trueman P. Single-Use negative-pressure wound therapy versus conventional dressings for closed surgical incisions: systematic literature review and meta-analysis. BJS Open. 2021;0(0):1–8.
Kirsner R, Dove C, Reyzelman A, Vayser D, Jaimes H. A Prospective, Randomised, 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.
Smith+Nephew 2021. A Prospective, Randomized, Comparative Effectiveness Study of a Single-use, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System (PICOTM) versus a Traditional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System (tNPWT) in the Treatment of Lower Extremity Ulcers – Dressing Application. Internal Statement. EO.AWM.PCS261.004.v1.
Karlakki SL, Hamad AK, Whittall C, et al. Incisional negative pressure wound therapy dressings (iNPWTd) in routine primary hip and knee arthroplasties: A randomised controlled trial. Bone Joint Res. 2016;5(8):328-337.
Wang E, Tang R, Walsh N, et al. Topical negative pressure therapy and compression in the management of open wounds: a multi-country clinical evaluation. Wound Practice & Research: Journal of the Australian Wound Management Association. 2017;25(1):36-40.
Smith & Nephew 2020. Internal Report. EO.AWM.PCS261.002.v2.
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.
Smith & Nephew 2018. PICO 7Y Non-NPWT Wound Model Summary. Internal Report. DS.18.260.R
Smith+Nephew 2020. Bacterial barrier testing of the PICO dressing. Internal report 2001002.
Smith+Nephew 2018. Summary of routine QA testing on MVP of PICO dressings. Internal Report. DS/18/153/R
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.
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.
WUWHS Consensus document Wound Exudate effective assessment and management; 2019.
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. CSD.AWM.25.078
Smith+Nephew 2025. Calculation of the Theoretical Fluid Handling of PICO Dressings. Internal Report. RD/25/078

Title

Text

Explore

PICO◊ Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System (sNPWT)