title: Suppurative mediastinitis after open-heart surgery: a case-control study covering a seven-year period in Santander, Spain.
abstract: Suppurative mediastinitis developed in 34 (0.9%) of 3,645 patients who underwent median sternotomy at the Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla in Santander, Spain, from 1985 through 1991. These cases were analyzed in a case-control study designed to identify risk factors for poststernotomy mediastinitis. The significant risk factors were (1) preoperative factors: heavy cigarette smoking and history of endocarditis; (2) intraoperative factors: emergency surgery, prolonged duration of surgery, prolonged bypass pump time, ventricular failure, and tearing of the aortic or femoral artery; and (3) postoperative factors: reoperation, prolonged mechanical ventilation, prolonged stay in the intensive-care unit, and tracheostomy. All patients had abnormal sternal wounds (i.e., signs of wound infection or serous discharge). Twelve patients were bacteremic. Thirty-eight organisms were recovered from 31 patients with mediastinitis; 23 of the isolates were gram-positive and 15 were gram-negative. The infections were treated with extensive debridement and appropriate antibiotics. Mortality was 35%. Chronic sternal osteomyelitis was documented in two cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fariñas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gald Peralta
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bernal
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rabasa
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Revuelta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: González-Macías
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008297:Male; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery; D013492:Suppuration