title: Sternal wound dehiscence from intense coughing in a cardiac surgery patient: could it be prevented?
abstract: This case report is on a obese patient who underwent a coronary artery bypass. The immediate postoperative phase, on the 8th day, was characterized by sternal dehiscence with diastasis, from intense coughing. At present, for obese patients there are not any guidelines aimed to prevent the sternal diastasis. The use of a sternum support vest after median sternotomy could be a valuable tool in the postoperative care of our patients, in order to avoid chest wall hyperexpansion and to prevent sternal wound dehiscence and diastasis.
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Klinikum Nurnberg, Germany.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Santarpino
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Pfeiffer
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Concistré
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Fischlein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects; D003371:Cough / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011859:Radiography; D012086:Reoperation; D012307:Risk Factors; D056346:Sternotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
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