title: Staphylococcal post-sternotomy mediastinitis: five year audit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The reported rate of post-sternotomy mediastinitis is between 0.8 and 2.3%, with up to 79% of cases caused by staphylococci. Mediastinitis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Obesity and diabetes are the only risk factors consistently identified. The aims of the present study were to determine the incidence and risk factors for staphylococci post-sternotomy mediastinitis and to audit its management.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical records of patients with staphylococcal post-sternotomy mediastinitis between 1 January 1998 and 31 May 2003 were retrospectively reviewed. Information collected included patient demographics, comorbidities, operation type, microbiology findings, surgical and medical management, and outcome. Data collected on cases were compared with data collected in a prospective database of all patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of staphylococcal post-sternotomy mediastinitis was 1.2% (60 cases in 5176 median sternotomies). Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 49 (82%) cases and coagulase-negative staphylococci in 11 (18%) cases. Eight (16%) S. aureus isolates were methicillin-resistant. Risk factors associated with mediastinitis were ethnicity, diabetes mellitus, emergency surgery, ejection fraction and length of preoperative hospital stay. In-hospital mortality was 15%. Eighteen per cent of cases were not cured by initial therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Staphylococcal mediastinitis is a serious complication with significant rates of relapse and mortality. This audit has lead to an evaluation of our clinical pathways to ensure that prevention and management of surgical site infection is optimized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Auckland District Health Board, New Zealand. aupton@fhcrc.org
authors.forename: Arlo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Upton
authors.forename: Sally A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Paget
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Milsom
authors.forename: Arthur J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*