title: Sternal traction: simple technique to prevent tamponade/compression of the heart.
abstract: Routine closure of the sternum after cardiovascular surgery sometimes causes severe cardiac depression because of tamponade, leading to cardiogenic shock. We describe a full-thickness chest wall traction suture taken parasternally and tied to an intravenous fluid stand. Upward (outward) traction is applied to the anterior chest while the sternum is primarily closed, which allows physiologic improvement equivalent to delayed sternal closure. It is a safe and easily reproducible technique.
authors.affiliation: Innova Children’s Heart Hospital, Hyderabad, India. drpramodreddy@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Pramod Reddy
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Kandakure
authors.forename: Nagarajan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramodass
authors.forename: Usha
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rani
authors.forename: Srinivas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chakravarthy
authors.forename: Ivatury Mrutunjay
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Samba Murthy
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kona
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014143:Traction