With an incidence rate of 1-4%, mediastinitis following cardiac surgery is a rarely occurring complication, but may show a mortality rate of up to 50%. Risk factors for sternal instability are insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, obesity, immunosuppressed state, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, history of radiation, renal failure, body height, smoking and nutritional state. ...

OBJECTIVES Median sternotomy (MS) wound infections are severe complications causing high morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. We aimed to develop a new Staphylococcus aureus mediastinitis and sternal osteomyelitis model in rats that can be used to evaluate the efficacy of new antimicrobial treatments. METHODS AND RESULTS A complete MS wound was induced in anaesthetized rats. S. aure...

Objective: To compare the outcome of short-term (<24 hours) versus longer-term (>24 hours) antibiotic prophylaxis (ABP) in Diabetic patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and its impact on in-hospital incidence of deep Sternal Wound Infection (DSWI) / Mediastinitis. Patients and method: We performed a cross sectional comparative study in 160 Diabetic patients undergoing...

OBJECTIVE In the post-sternotomy mediastinitis patients, Staphylococcus aureus is the pathogenic microorganism encountered most often. In our study, we aimed to determine the efficacy of antibiotic treatment with vancomycin and tigecycline, alone or in combination with hyperbaric oxygen treatment, on bacterial elimination in experimental S. aureus mediastinitis. METHODS Forty-nine adult femal...