title: Mediastinitis in heart transplant recipients: successful treatment by closed local irrigation.
abstract: Following cardiac transplantation bacterial mediastinitis is a severe early complication. Between March 1986 and September 1993, cardiac transplant operations were performed in 101 patients, of whom six developed purulent mediastinitis. Treatment consisted of surgical débridement, closed local irrigation, drainage and systemic antibiotics. No patient died as a result of bacterial mediastinitis. Low cardiac output and requirements for resternotomy for bleeding and prolonged artificial ventilation were significantly higher in the group with sternal infection. In contrast, since January 1991 the dose of corticosteroid was decreased from 5 mg/kg per day to 1.5 mg/kg per day beginning on the first day after operation. A total of 51 heart transplant operations have been subsequently performed without sign of mediastinal infection.
authors.affiliation: Service de Chirurgie Thoracique et Cardio-Vasculaire, Hôpital Aiguelongue, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Albat
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Trinh-Duc
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boulfroy
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wintrebert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thevenet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003646:Debridement; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016983:Enterococcus; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011206:Povidone-Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012086:Reoperation; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016868:Serratia Infections / Q000601:surgery; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000601:surgery; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000601:surgery*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011206:Povidone-Iodine; D012293:Rifampin