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Ann Thorac Surg 2001;72:723-724
© 2001 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Invited commentary

^a Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Ave, Desk F25, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA

e-mail: smedirn@ccf.org

Sternal wound infections following cardiac surgery have been well defined. Subscribing to the CDC definition of surgical wound infection (SWI) a "deep" infection is characterized by a subfascial location or involving the bone or retrosternal space (mediastinitis). The incidence is generally well below 1% for valve procedures and increases to 1% to 2% for coronary artery bypass grafting. Risk factors are consistent across series and include older age, diabetes, obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, current smoking, use of bilateral internal thoracic arteries and surgical techniques that traumatize the tissue or interfere with wound healing. Mortality is significant at 10% to 20%.

Heart . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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Ann. Thorac. Surg. 2001 72: 719-723. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]