Effective Combination of Different Surgical Strategies for Deep Sternal Wound Infection and Mediastinitis

• Published in: Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Vol. 25; no. 2; pp. 102 - 110
• Main Authors: Tewarie, Lachmandath, Moza, Ajay K, Khattab, Mohammad Amen, Autschbach, Rüdiger, Zayat, Rashad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Editorial Committee of Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 01.01.2019
• Subjects: bilateral pectoral major muscle flap; deep sternal wound infection; mediastinitis; omental flap; Original; deep sternal wound infection; bilateral pectoral major muscle flap; mediastinitis; omental flap
• ISSN: 1341-1098; 2186-1005
• DOI: 10.5761/atcs.oa.18-00115

Purpose: Timing and ideal reconstructive approach in deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) and mediastinitis still remain controversially debated. We present our own combined surgical strategy of bilateral pectoralis major muscle flap (BPMMF) or omental flap (OF) transposition.Methods: Between July 2010 and July 2016, poststernotomy patients with DSWI and mediastinitis underwent a secondary wound closure with modified BPMMF (Group A, center for disease control class (CDC)-II, n = 21; Group B, CDC-III, n = 20) or with OF (Group C, CDC-III, n = 19) following vacuum-assisted closure (VAC).Results: Significant risk factors for mediastinitis (CDC-III) were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; p = 0.001), peripheral arterial disease (PAD; p = 0.012), cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (p = 0.027), total operation time (p = 0.039), total intensive care unit (ICU) stay (p = 0.011), and blood transfusion (p = 0.049). Mean antibiotic therapy (18.4 ± 8.8[B] vs. 36.2 ± 24.4[C] days, p = 0.026) and length of hospitalization (25.2 ± 12.1[B] vs 53.8 ± 18.5 days[C], p = 0.053) were significantly longer in group C. In-hospital death was 3/19 (15.8%) in group C versus 0 in group B (p = 0.026). Frequency of recurrent mediastinitis was equal (p = 0.92); however, complications occurred more often in group C (31.6% vs. 0%, p = 0.031). The mean follow-up time was 111 ± 62 days.Conclusion: In younger (<70 years) patients without sternal bone necrosis, the BPMMF is superior to the OF technique with relatively low recurrence and mortality risks.