title: Primary treatment of deep sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery: a survey of German heart surgery centers.
abstract: There are various primary treatment modalities of managing deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) following cardiac surgery, namely surgical debridement with primary reclosure in conjunction with irrigation, Vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C. therapy, and primary or delayed flap closure. The purpose of this study was to assess whether there is consensus of the primary management of DSWI using one method as a single line therapy or a combination of these procedures. Therefore, a questionnaire with regards to the primary treatment modalities of DSWI was distributed to all 79 German heart surgery centers. All replied to the questionnaire. V.A.C. is used in 28/79 (35%) heart centers as the 'first-line' treatment, 22/79 (28%) perform primary reclosure in conjunction with a double-tube irrigation/suction system, and in 29/79 (37%) clinics both treatment options were used according to intraoperative conditions. Mostly, as a primary management of DSWI two treatment modalities are mainly in use: primary reclosure coupled with a double-tube suction/irrigation system and V.A.C. therapy. The current understanding is based purely on retrospective studies, not evidence-based medicine. Since prospective randomized studies have not yet been performed, controlled clinical trials comparing these treatment modalities are pivotal to define evidence for patients presenting with DSWI.
authors: Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Klinik für Herz-, und Thoraxchirurgie, Germany. Schimmerc@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Schimmer
authors: Sebastian-Patrick
authors: SP
authors: Sommer
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Bensch
authors: Rainer
authors: R
authors: Leyh
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003646:Debridement; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D013396:Suction; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D016896:Treatment Outcome