Infected sternotomy wounds.
Three babies who developed infection in their median sternotomy wounds are reported. In one child, a retrosternal abscess was drained and in the other two cases, the wounds dehisced. The wound cavities were filled with a rectus abdominis myocutaneous island flap and in each case, the wounds healed primarily. Early flap repair resolved the infection, shortened the hospital stay and provided protection to the exposed mediastinum.
Gault
D T
DT
Department of Plastic Surgery, Hospital for Sick Children, London, UK.
Huddleston
C
C
Jones
B M
BM
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000601:surgery; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000601:surgery*