Mediastinitis is a life-threatening disease, and effective drainage is needed to treat mediastinitis with abscess formation. We recommend an alternative drainage method using chest tube binding with a Silastic Penrose drainage tube. The use of a Silastic Penrose drainage tube may help to manage mediastinitis with abscess formation. This method facilitates effective draining and prevents tissue ...

structures that lie between the right and left pleura between the thoracic inlet and the diaphragm. Mediastinitis can be divided into the acute and chronic forms according to the etiology and the clinical course. Acute suppurative mediastinitis is an uncommon and life threatening condition (1). The main causes of acute mediastinitis include esophageal perforation, post-operative complications a...

Mycoplasma hominis infections are easily missed because conventional methods for bacterial detection may fail. Here, 8 cases of septic mediastinitis due to M. hominis are reported and reviewed in the context of previously reported cases of mediastinitis, sternum wound infection, pleuritis, or pericarditis caused by M. hominis. All 8 patients had a predisposing initial condition related to poor ...

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is an uncommon form of mediastinitis that can rapidly progress to septicemia. The optimal surgical approach still remains controversial. In this paper we would like to present a case of descending necrotizing mediastinitis that was treated successfully by means of thoracic drainage through trans-thoracic approach. In our case DNM occurred as a complica...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of the technique used in the dissection of thoracic arteries in the evolution of diabetic patients submitted to OPCAB. METHODS Seventy diabetic patients submitted to OPCAB using bilateral thoracic arteries were evaluated. In Group A, thoracic arteries were dissected as a pedicle, while in Group B they were skeletonized. RESULTS The mean age of patients in...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The aim of our study was to identify risk factors for the development of post-sternotomy mediastinitis and sternal dehiscence without infection. PATIENTS AND METHOD The records of all patients who presented with sternal abnormalities between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2003 were reviewed retrospectively, and potential risk factors were examined. Patients were ...

BACKGROUND Mediastinitis resulting from surgical site infection may occur in 1% of patients undergoing median sternotomy. METHODS Case report and review of the pertinent English-language literature. RESULTS We report a case of mediastinitis caused by Acinetobacter baumannii, in a patient with multiple comorbidities who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass. Successful treatment consisted of surg...

BACKGROUND As high-risk cardiac patients frequently remain within hospital while waiting for surgery, the aim of the present study was to determine the role of preoperative length of hospital stay on mediastinitis, and also, to assess contemporary risk factors for this complication. METHODS The source population consisted of 6653 consecutive patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery, valve ...

BACKGROUND Poststernotomy mediastinitis is a rare, but life-threatening complication, thus early diagnosis and proper management is essential for poststernotomy mediastinitis. The main treatment for mediastinitis is aggressive debridement. Several options exist for reconstruction of defects after debridement. The efficacy of immediate debridement and reconstruction with a pectoralis major muscl...