title: Postcardiac surgery infections.
abstract: Infections following cardiac surgery, although generally uncommon, are associated with difficult management decisions and significant morbidity and mortality. They often present while the patient is either in a critical care unit, or requires CCU management. This review analyzes infections related to median sternotomy wounds, prosthetic heart valves, transvenous permanent pacemakers, automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, and left ventricular assist devices. The diagnosis, microbiology, treatment and outcome of each is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brooklyn Veterans Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Lutwick
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaghjimal
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Connolly
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000009:adverse effects; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000209:etiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology