Abstract: PURPOSE: To explore the clinical therapeutic effect of vacuum sealing drainage(VSD) on descending necrotizing mediastinitis(DNM) caused by maxillofacial and neck space infection. METHODS: The clinical data of 53 DNM patients treated with VSD in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from July 2014 to July 2023 were reviewed, and the therapeutic effect was summarized and analyzed. SPSS 26.0 software package was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 53 patients, 3 gave up treatment, 1 died, and the remaining were cured and discharged. Among the 53 patients, the average hospitalization time was (25.3±13.75) d, the average placement time of VSD was (16.15±8.22) d , the average monitoring time of ICU was (12.02±11.56) d, the average number of replacements of VSD was 1.57±1.32. There were significant differences between patients with diabetes and patients with normal blood glucose in length of hospital stay, ICU stay, VSD use, antibiotic use, total hospitalization cost, neutrophil to lymphocyte count ratio(N/L value), interleukin-6(IL-6) and D-dimer (D-D) value at admission. CONCLUSIONS: VSD has little surgical trauma in the treatment of DNM, promotes inflammatory absorption, and reduces the pain of dressing change during the course of the disease. For cases of infection to the anterior and lower diaphragm and total mediastinum, combined with closed thoracic drainage or mediastinial incision, the drainage effect is certain and has a distinct clinical application value.

Key words: Vacuum sealing drainage, Maxillofacial and cervical multiple space infection, Descending necrotizing mediastinitis, Diabetes