BACKGROUND To determine the rate and risk factors of three operative complications (renal failure, pneumonia, and sternal wound infection) within 30 days after isolated coronary artery bypass surgery. METHODS Medical records of 1,046 consecutive patients between the years 2005 and 2009 were reviewed. Demographic data and peri-operative information were collected and analyzed. Univariate and m...

PURPOSE Deep sternal wound complications after cardiac surgery have an incidence of 2 to 8% and carry a significant mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of thermo-reactive Nitinol clips on the incidence of postoperative deep sternal wound complications. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 1119 consecutive patients that underwent major cardiac surgery via median sternoto...

BACKGROUND Elevated blood glucose levels in the postoperative period are associated with an increased risk of deep wound infection in diabetic individuals undergoing open heart operations at Providence St. Vincent Hospital. METHODS Of 8,910 patients who underwent cardiac operations between 1987 and 1993, 1,585 (18%) were diabetic. The rate of deep sternal wound infections in diabetic patients...

[18] Schulman NH, Subramanian V. Sternal wound reconstruction: 252 consecutive cases. The Lenox Hill experience. Plast Reconstr Surg 2004;114:44–48. [19] Matros E, Aranki SF, Bayer LR, McGurk S, Neuwalder J, Orgill DP. Reduction in incidence of deep sternal wound infections: random or real? J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2010;139:680–685. [20] Horan TC, Andrus M, Dudeck MA. CDC/NHSN surveillance defi...

Methods Between 2010 and 2011, 6 patients with type IV deep sternal wound infection underwent a sternal reconstruction with a laparoscopically harvested omental flap and transverse plate fixation. The median age of the cohort (1 female and 5 males), was 72.5 years (range: 4978 years). In 5 patients, a bilateral internal thoracic artery had been used. Considerable preoperative risk factors were ...