Autologous pericardial flap for prevention of reentry injury in cardiac reoperations.
Cardiac injury during sternal reentry to the heart is a rare but dangerous complication of cardiac reoperations. Positioning a pericardial flap between the heart and sternum at the time of the initial operation may consistently facilitate cardiac reoperation by providing a reliable plane of dissection and by reducing adhesion formation.
Canver
C C
CC
Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Dartmouth Medical School, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03756.
Marrin
C A
CA
Plume
S K
SK
Nugent
W C
WC
D006801:Humans; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000517:prevention & control; D010491:Pericardial Window Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000517:prevention & control; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology