Background/Aim: Post-laparotomy wound sepsis and dehiscence occur in 0.25% to 3% of patients. Frequently, definitive fascial and/or cutaneous reconstructions cannot be performed in an immediate  setting due to the wound condition  or the general condition  of the patient. Commercial VAC (Kinetic Concepts, Inc, San Antonio, TX) have been predominantly used for treatment  of the open abdomen  and in abdominal  sepsis. However, commercial devices are either not available or prohibitively expensive for most patients in resource-poor regions. The method described herein is a relatively crude and low cost one applying the principals of topical negative pressure and temporary abdominal wound closure and our aim is to check its foasibility, safety and efficacy as a temporary abdominal closure method in post laparotomy wound sepsis and wound dehiscence. Patients  and methods:  This prospective study included  17 patients  with significant post laparotomy  wound dehiscence  admitted to surgery department  between June 2008 and  May 2011. Vacuum  packing  closure therapy  was administered  for the whole 17 patients. Eleven patients (64 %) had complete fascial dehiscence  with exposed bowel and six patients (36 %) had partial thickness fascial dehiscence. The evaluations included descriptive characteristics of the patients, rate of primary fascial closure and vacuum packing related morbidity and mortality. Results: Of these 11 patients with full thickness wound dehiscence and bowel exposure, two patients died of vacuum packing unrelated problems, six patients underwent successful primary fascial closure. In those 6 patients with partial thickness wound dehiscence. vacuum packing therapy achieved satisfactory  wound healing in all the patients, Problems  related to vacuum packing therapy included necrosis of fascial edges (2 patients) and blister under the adhesive tape (2 patients). No variables had a significant  influence on vacuum packing wound therapy specific morbidity or primary closure rate in the univariate analysis. Three variables showed a significant influence on mortality: age (P