title: Cardiac compression due to closure of the median sternotomy in open heart surgery.
abstract: Following open heart surgery, approximation of the median sternotomy can compress the heart and produce cardiac tamponade. A proposed new technique to eliminate this compression by sternal traction is presented.
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D011312:Pressure; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D014143:Traction