title: Pericardial substitute and emergency resternotomy: life-saving combination.
abstract: Retrosternal adhesions prolong operating time during reoperative pediatric cardiac surgery and promote myocardial injury. A case is presented in which a polytetrafluoroethylene pericardial substitute facilitated a rapid, life-saving emergency resternotomy in a moribund patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of California at Davis East, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bacaner
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: DeCampli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hardy
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012086:Reoperation; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene