Vacuum-assisted wound healing around a pin-site

A method of treating a wound surrounding the shaft of a bone stabilization device that protrudes through the skin of a patient comprising:

• placing a device for applying therapeutic vacuum to a wound surrounding the shaft of a bone stabilization device that extends through the skin of a patient, comprising a hollow generally conical member having at a first end a first opening adapted to conform to the bone stabilization device shaft, and having at a second opposite end a second opening adapted to enclose a wound surrounding the bone stabilization device shaft, the conical member having, at a point between the ends thereof, a port for connecting a suction tube to the conical member to communicate a negative pressure from a vacuum source to a space defined by the conical member, the conical member having sufficient flexibility at the first end to form an airtight seal around the stabilization device shaft, over a wound and protruding bone stabilization device shaft such that the shaft passes through both openings in the conical member and the device encloses the wound;
• connecting the vacuum tube to a source of vacuum;
• and
• applying vacuum pressure to the device.