title: Treatment of mediastinitis by ventrofil plates without sternal rewiring.
abstract: Mediastinitis is a serious complication of cardiac surgical procedures, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. We describe a new simple surgical technique to treat deep sternal infection based on the removal of all wires and deep sutures, and reapproximation of the sternum with four external plates without rewiring. Fourteen patients were treated with this technique. No complications related to the procedure occurred, the infection was successfully treated in all patients, and only 1 patient underwent vacuum treatment to obtain healing of the wound.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Unit, Cardiovascular Department, Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy. Electronic address: a.galanti@ospedale.lecco.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galanti
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Unit, Cardiovascular Department, Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Triggiani
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Unit, Cardiovascular Department, Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy.
authors.forename: Giordano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tasca
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Unit, Cardiovascular Department, Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonello Stefano
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Unit, Cardiovascular Department, Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy.
authors.forename: Floriana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giannico
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit, Cardiovascular Department, Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierfranco
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ravizza
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Intensive Care and Anesthesiology Unit, Cardiovascular Department, Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carboni
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Unit, Cardiovascular Department, Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy.
authors.forename: Amando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gamba
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003646:Debridement / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012086:Reoperation / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D056346:Sternotomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology