The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Professor Malin Malmsjö, MD, PhD. Photo.

Malin Malmsjö

Professor

Professor Malin Malmsjö, MD, PhD. Photo.

Major complications during negative pressure wound therapy in poststernotomy mediastinitis after cardiac surgery

Author

  • Rainer Petzina
  • Malin Malmsjö
  • Christof Stamm
  • Roland Hetzer

Summary, in English

Objective: Negative pressure wound therapy is the first-line treatment modality for poststernotomy mediastinitis in many heart centers. The aim of this study was to analyze major complications and possible preventive methods during negative pressure wound therapy in patients with deep sternal wound infections. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 69 consecutive patients treated with negative pressure wound therapy for poststernotomy mediastinitis between June 2006 and September 2009. Results: Five (7.2%) patients sustained major complications during negative pressure wound therapy. Bleeding from coronary artery venous bypass grafts was observed in 4 patients and fulminant bleeding from an infected homograft of the ascending aorta was observed in 1 patient during routine dressing changes of the negative pressure wound therapy system. Conclusions: Bleeding is the major complication during negative pressure wound therapy for poststernotomy mediastinitis. Covering the heart with several layers of paraffin gauze is a necessary protective maneuver but cannot completely prevent major complications during negative pressure wound therapy. All operative procedures, including dressing changes, should be performed in the operating room under optimal hygienic and monitoring conditions to increase the salvage rate and to guarantee optimal surgical and anesthesiologic conditions in case of negative pressure wound therapy-related complications. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2010;140:1133-6)

Department/s

  • Medicine, Lund

Publishing year

2010

Language

English

Pages

1133-1136

Publication/Series

Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery

Volume

140

Issue

5

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Mosby-Elsevier

Topic

  • Other Clinical Medicine

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1097-685X