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Ann Thorac Surg 2007;83:1162-1165
© 2007 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

New Technology

Elastic Device Facilitating Delayed Primary Closure of Sternal Wound Infection

Joel Price, MDa,*, Fraser Rubens, MD, MSa, Michael Bell, MDb

a Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
b Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Accepted for publication June 19, 2006.

* Address correspondence to Dr Price, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Room H3311, 40 Ruskin St, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Y 4W7 (Email: jprice{at}ottawaheart.ca).

Purpose: Management of the sternal wound after extensive debridement continues to be a resource-intensive problem in cardiac surgery. There are a number of techniques available to achieve definitive closure of these wounds, all of which have limited effectiveness or are associated with serious complications. This article describes the use of a novel elastic system that approximates these wounds gradually, achieving dynamic wound closure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of this system.

Description: We report our initial series of 3 patients who underwent dynamic wound closure using a novel elastomer system after debridement for sternal wound infection.

Evaluation: All patients achieved satisfactory healing with a mean duration of 29 days of treatment without additional procedures.

Conclusions: Dynamic wound closure is an effective and feasible method of dealing with the open sternotomy wound after debridement.






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