title: Safety of absorbable suture for sternal closure after pulmonary or mediastinal resection.
abstract: The reliability of polyglyconate monofilament (Maxon) suture for sternal closure was tested on 216 consecutive sternotomies, performed on 208 patients in our department from January 1986 to December 1990. The reason of sternotomy was primary lung cancer in 34 cases (16%), lung metastases in 127 (59%), and disorders of the thymus in 55 (25%). Mean age was 38 years (range 3 to 78 years); multiple lung resections were performed in 102 patients (average 7 lesions, range 2 to 30); maximum extent of the operation was pneumonectomy in 2 cases, lobectomy in 53, segmentectomy in 27, and wedge resection in 74. Prior chemotherapy had been administered in 75 cases (35%). A second sternotomy was performed in 8 cases. No cases of sternal dehiscence, sternal infection, or empyema were observed, after a median follow-up of 27 months. Overall perioperative mortality was 0.9% (2/216). Our series demonstrates the safety of polyglyconate monofilament (Maxon) suture for sternal closure. Absorbable sutures appear to be a safe alternative to steel wire closure in patients undergoing extended pulmonary or mediastinal resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pastorino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muscolino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andreani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tavecchio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Infante
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Terno
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ravasi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011108:Polymers; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection; D013537:Sutures / Q000592:standards*; D013934:Thymectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers; C046409:polyglyconate