title: Post-mediastinitis ventricle rupture: closing the chest without closing the heart?
abstract: Right ventricular rupture following mediastinitis is an unusual but potentially life-threatening complication of cardiac surgery, related to the "open" debridement technique. There are few reports of complex surgical management including repair of the tear and wound closure with omentoplasty or muscle flap with ECC. We report the case of a patient with a right ventricular rupture complicating mediastinitis, which was successfully treated by direct closure of the chest wall without repairing the ventricle tearing and without ECC. We believe that it can be a quick and effective solution at first attempt, and may be a successful and definitive treatment.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery Unit, Poitiers University Hospital Center, France. p.corbi@chu-poitiers.fr
authors.forename: P-J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Corbi
authors.forename: C-P M
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Jayle
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lemonnier
authors.forename: P-M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Menu
mesh_terms: D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects; D006341:Heart Rupture / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome