Dehiscence of median sternotomy wounds remains a clinical problem. Wall forces in thin-walled pressure vessels can be calculated by membrane stress theory. An ellipsoid pressure vessel model of sternal forces is presented together with its application for optimal wire placement in the sternum. Sternal forces were calculated by computational simulation using an ellipsoid chest wall model. Sterna...

OBJECTIVE The diagnosis and treatment of sternal wound infections with mycobacteria are challenging. Such an infection is often associated with a delayed diagnosis and improper treatment that may lead to a worsened clinical outcome. The present study is designed to highlight its clinical features so as to facilitate a prompt diagnosis and timely treatment. METHODS MEDLINE, Highwire Press, and...

BACKGROUND Median sternotomy infection and bony nonunion are two commonly described complications which occur in 0.4-5.1% of cardiac procedures. Although relatively infrequent, these complications can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the initial experience of a transverse plate fixation system following wound complications associate...

OBJECTIVES To determine the sensitivity and specificity of a novel ELISA for the serodiagnosis of surgical site infection (SSI) due to staphylococci following median sternotomy. METHODS Twelve patients with a superficial sternal SSI and 19 with a deep sternal SSI due to Staphylococcus aureus were compared with 37 control patients who also underwent median sternotomy for cardiac surgery but ex...

STUDY OBJECTIVES To assess whether (1) there is an increased incidence of sternal fractures associated with internal mammary artery (IMA) revascularization in open heart surgery and (2) there is a higher incidence of pain in postoperative patients with sternal fractures. METHODS Two hundred eighty-eight consecutive adult patients who had undergone cardiac surgery underwent median sternotomy f...

The sternal lymph nodes receive drainage from a wide variety of structures in the thoraco-abdominal region. Evaluation of these lymph nodes is essential, especially in cancer patients. Computed tomography (CT) can detect sternal lymph nodes more accurately than radiography or ultrasonography, and the criteria of the sternal lymphadenopathy are unknown. The purpose of this retrospective study wa...

AIM To investigate the relation between use of bone wax and postoperative sternal dehiscence after cardiac surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS Five thousnad three hundred and eighteen consecutive patients who underwent cardiac surgery between 1999 and 2009 were evaluated prospectively. Perioperative use of bone wax, perioperative data and outcome parameters were recorded. Multivariate logistic regr...

Transverse sternal nonunion, repair and revision: a case report and review of the literature. J Trauma. 2009;66:1485–8. 3. Potaris K, Gakidis J, Mihos P, Voutsinas V, Deligeorgis A, Petsinis V. Management of sternal fractures: 239 cases. Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann. 2002;10:145–9. 4. Morgan A. Treatment of chronic nonunion of a sternal fracture with bone morphogenetic protein. Ann Thorac Surg. ...

Objectives: One of the factors predicting language impairments is an early limited lexicon in children. An early limited lexicon can also lead to limited performances in other language areas. This study was aimed to examine receptive and expressive vocabulary in 8-16 month-old children with cleft lip and palate as a predictor of development in other language areas. Materials: The MacArthur-Bat...