Suppurative mediastinitis after open heart surgery. A case control study of risk factors

Suppurative mediastinitis occurred in 68 of 9,965 patients (0.7 percent) who underwent median sternotomy at Emory University Hospital from 1973 through 1982. Case-control methodology was used to identify preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative risk factors for the development of poststernotomy mediastinitis. The following 12 individually significant risk factors were identified by univariate analysis: preoperative factors: history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), history of prior sternotomy, pyuria, low ejection fraction, and high left ventricular end-diastolic pressure; intraoperative factors: valvular or aortic aneurysm surgery, prolonged bypass pump time, repeat placement on bypass, duration of surgery; and postoperative factors: surgical reexploration due to postoperative hemorrhage, cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the immediate postoperative period, prolonged time (greater than 48 hours) on mechanical ventilation. By logistic regression analysis, three of these factors were found to be associated independently with increased odds of developing mediastinitis: duration of surgery, history of COPD, and prolonged postoperative mechanical ventilation.     

Omental flap for recurrent deep sternal wound infection and mediastinitis after cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND: Unsuccessful surgical treatment of deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) and mediastinitis may lead to sepsis, multiorgan failure and death. Omental flap transposition (OFT) may, in this situation, be the only effective therapy. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with DSWI and mediastinitis after one or more unsuccessful surgical attempts to cure the infection were treated by OFT. Forty-one interventions (1.5/patient) consisting of closed irrigation technique, bilateral pectoralis flap reconstruction and vacuum-assisted therapy were performed before carrying out OFT. RESULTS: Operative mortality was 0. Mean postoperative ventilation time was 1.38 days and mean time in the intensive care unit was 4.7 days. Hospital mortality was 7.4 % (n = 2). Mean follow-up time was 2 years. One patient (4 %) died one year after discharge. During follow-up, abdominal wall hernia occurred in one patient (4 %) and presternal fistula resection was necessary in another patient (4 %). CONCLUSION: OFT is, in our experience, the most effective procedure for the treatment of recurrent DSWI and mediastinitis after cardiac surgery. Early mortality is acceptable, morbidity is low and late results are very good.     

A retrospective analysis of deep sternal wound infections after longitudinal median sternotomy

Median sternotomy is the most commonly performed surgical procedure in the treatment of heart conditions in both adults and children. Deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) present a serious complication occurring after surgery, highly demanding both of patients and surgery departments. The present study is a retrospective analysis of 9110 patients who underwent a cardiac surgery at the Center of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantations, Brno, Czech Republic, in the years 2005–12, and as its objective it has a definition of risk factors of DSWI after median sternotomy.In this study, a multivariate analysis found sepsis to be the most serious risk factor, in addition to harvesting of the mammary artery (to be used as a graft for revascularisation), haemodynamic instability, reintubation and male sex.     

Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement reduces atelectasis in cardiac intensive care

Objective: Respiratory failure is a major complication after cardiac surgery. The purpose was to evaluate the impact of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (mini AVR) on the occurrence of left lower lobe atelectasis (LLLA) in the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU). Patients and Methods: 98 patients were scheduled to undergo mini AVR. 14 of these patients were converted to a full sternotomy due to technical problems. These patients were compared to a group of 50 patients having planned AVR through a full sternotomy. The incidence of LLLA was evaluated on the first postoperative chest X-ray in the cardiac ICU. Results: In the group having completed mini AVR 20/84 (24%) had a partial LLLA while in the group having extension to a full sternotomy 9/14 (64%) had LLLA lobe (P<0.005). In the group of 50 patients who had AVR through a full sternotomy, 27 patients (54%) had LLLA in the ICU which is also significantly higher (P<0.008) than the percentage of atelectasis in the mini AVR group. Conclusions: Patients who had mini AVR had a significantly lower incidence of LLLA in the cardiac ICU than patients who had AVR through a full sternotomy.     

Anaerobic wound infection: Bacteroides mediastinitis after cardiovascular surgery

A case of postoperative anaerobic mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass grafting is reviewed. One of the causative organisms, Bacteroides oralis, has never previously been described as a pathogen causing mediastinitis after median sternotomy incision. There was associated Bacteroides fragilis bacteremia. Only three cases of Bacteroides species mediastinitis after open heart surgery have been reported. This anaerobic bacterium remains a rare pathogen in median sternotomy infections despite the increasing number of cases of mediastinitis seen in association with the burgeoning number of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Multiple risk factors may contribute to mediastinal infections, which occur in about 2% of patients undergoing coronary artery surgery. When infection occurs, aerobic and anaerobic wound cultures should be made and appropriate antimicrobial and surgical therapy instituted.     

Autotransfusion of shed mediastinal blood: a risk factor for mediastinitis after cardiac surgery? Results of a cluster investigation

RATIONALE: After the introduction of autotransfusion of shed mediastinal blood following cardiac surgery, the incidence of mediastinitis increased. The role of autotransfusion in the increased occurrence of this serious complication was examined. METHODS: Using a case-control design, the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative characteristics of 11 patients with mediastinitis were compared to those of 33 randomly selected patients undergoing cardiac surgery between September 1, 2000, and April 15, 2001 (control subjects). RESULTS: Patients with mediastinitis were significantly more likely to have a body mass index > 30 (unadjusted odds ratio [OR], 9.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3 to 42.5), to have received antibiotic therapy during the 2 weeks prior to cardiac surgery (OR, 12.0; 95% CI, 1.1 to 131), or to have required re-exploration within 24 h of the original operation (OR, 8.3; 95% CI, 1.8 to 39). Patients with mediastinitis had 3.4 known risk factors for mediastinitis, compared to only 1.4 risk factors per control subject (p = 0.0001), and longer duration of autotransfusion. After adjustment for other risk factors, autotransfusion for > 6 h was significantly associated with the development of mediastinitis (adjusted OR, 11.9; 95% CI, 1.4 to 97.2). CONCLUSION: Retransfusion of shed mediastinal blood for > 6 h after cardiac surgery was an independent risk factor for mediastinitis.     

Evaluation of different minimally invasive techniques in pediatric cardiac surgery: is a full sternotomy always a necessity?

STUDY OBJECTIVES: A variety of minimally invasive techniques have been recently introduced in adult cardiac surgery. Experiences with children and newborns are, however, limited. In this report, we present our first experiences with different methods of ministernotomies for closure of atrial septum defect (ASD) and ventricular septum defect (VSD) in pediatric cardiac patients. Also, the current literature for different surgical approaches is reviewed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five pediatric patients (range, 4 months to 12 years old) underwent elective ASD or VSD closure. Surgical access was either without division of the sternum (group A, n = 5), with partial inferior sternotomy (group B, n = 5), total sternotomy with limited skin incision (group C, n = 5), or total sternotomy with full skin incision (group D, n = 10). RESULTS: There were no severe intraoperative complications regarding exposure, cannulation, or bleeding. Conversion to full sternotomy was not necessary in any patient. Bypass time and cross-clamp time in groups A, B, and C were comparable to the standard operation (group D). However, preparation time was significantly increased in one minimally invasive group (group A vs group D, p<0.05). Despite general feasibility, the transxiphoidal access without sternotomy compromises exposure of the ascending aorta, resulting in impaired administration of cross-clamping, cardioplegia, and especially de-airing. CONCLUSIONS: Transatrial pediatric cardiac operations can be performed without or with limited sternotomy. The partial sternotomy allows uncompromised exposure of the great vessels and should be favored over the transxiphoidal approach. The operative access and perioperative risk is comparable to a classical standard surgical approach. Advantages include improved cosmetic results in combination with a high degree of safety.     

Effects of coronary artery bypass grafting using internal mammary arteries for diabetic patients.

OBJECTIVES: In our institute, internal mammary arteries (IMAs) have been preferred for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in diabetic patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of diabetes and IMA grafting on survival after CABG. BACKGROUND: The influence of diabetes on the results of CABG is not well documented, and there is controversy about whether the use of IMAs conveys greater survival benefits to diabetic patients. METHODS: A total of 420 consecutive patients who underwent CABG from April 1990 to July 1998 were reviewed; 211 of these patients had diabetes mellitus at the time of surgery. Internal mammary artery grafts have been used with increasing frequency, and bilateral IMAs have been used when possible since 1993. Internal mammary artery grafts were used in 164 nondiabetic patients (78%) and in 155 diabetic patients (73%). Seventy-eight nondiabetic patients and 74 diabetic patients received bilateral IMA grafts. RESULTS: The postoperative mortality was 2.4% in the nondiabetic and 2.8% in the diabetic group. With regard to postoperative complications, diabetic patients had a significantly higher rate of chest wound infection (p < 0.05), irrespective of whether IMAs were used or not. The use of bilateral IMAs did not increase the risk of chest wound infection in nondiabetic or diabetic patients. Overall survival curve, cardiac death-free curve and cardiac event-free curve were not affected adversely by diabetes, and in diabetic patients, CABG with saphenous veins alone conveyed significantly (p < 0.01) less long-term benefit than did CABG with at least one IMA graft. CONCLUSIONS: It was suggested that IMA grafts should be preferred in diabetic patients.     

Continuous quality improvement program and major morbidity after cardiac surgery

The aim of this study was to investigate how a continuous quality improvement (CQI) program affected major morbidity and postoperative outcomes after cardiac surgery. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those who underwent surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting, isolated valve surgery, or coronary artery bypass grafting and valve surgery) after the establishment of a CQI program (from January 2005 to December 2006, n = 922) and those who underwent surgery beforehand (from January 2002 to December 2003, n = 1,289). Patients who had surgery in 2004, when the system and processes were reengineered, were not included in the analysis. Outcomes compared between the 2 groups included (1) acute renal failure, (2) stroke, (3) sepsis, (4) hemorrhage-related reexploration, (5) cardiac tamponade, (6) mediastinitis, and (7) prolonged length of stay. Logistic regression analysis and propensity score adjustment were used to adjust for imbalances in the patients' preoperative characteristics. After propensity score adjustment, CQI was found to decrease the rate of sepsis (odds ratio [OR] 0.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3 to 0.9, p = 0.02) and cardiac tamponade (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.8, p = 0.02) but to only marginally decrease the rate of acute renal failure (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.0, p = 0.07). CQI did not emerge as an independent risk factor for hemorrhage-related reexploration, prolonged length of stay, mediastinitis, or stroke in either multivariate logistic regression analysis or propensity score adjustment. In conclusion, the systematic implementation of a CQI program and the application of multidisciplinary protocols decrease sepsis and cardiac tamponade after cardiac surgery.     

The clinical pathway for fast track recovery of school activities in children after minimally invasive cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive cardiac surgery is now becoming standard in the correction of simple congenital cardiac malfbrmations. We introduced a clinical pathway for fast track recovery of school activities in children after minimally invasive cardiac surgery, and assessed the function of the pathway in children with atrial or ventricular septal defects, comparing minimally invasive surgery to repair through a conventional full sternotomy. METHODS: We studied 15 children of school age who underwent repair of an atrial or ventricular septal defect through a lower midline sternotomy, and 10 children undergoing repair through a full sternotomy. The clinical pathway was for extubation to take place in the operating room, echocardiographic evaluation on the 5th postoperative day, and discharge home on the 7th postoperative day, with return to school within 2 weeks, and resumption of all gymnastic activity within 6 weeks of the minimally invasive surgery. RESULTS: In those having a lower midline sternotomy, postoperative hospital stay was 7.4 +/- 0.8 days, with return to school 8.0 +/- 2.4 days after discharge. They resumed gymnastics 41 +/- 11 days after the minimally invasive surgery. In those having a full sternotomy, in contrast, these parameters were 13.5 +/- 2.7, 23.1 +/- 8.4, and 95 +/- 43 days, respectively. Of the 15 children undergoing a minimally invasive approach, 12 (80%) fulfilled the criterions of our clinical pathway. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that minimally invasive cardiac surgery can safely be performed in children. In addition to its cosmetic role, the technique has added value in promoting early return to normal school life, including gymnastics.     

Frequency,risk factors,and outcome of hyperlactatemia after cardiac surgery

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the respective frequencies, risk factors, and outcomes of no hyperlactatemia (NHL), immediate hyperlactatemia (IHL), or late hyperlactatemia (LHL) > 3 mmol/L after cardiac surgery. DESIGN: Prospective and observational study. SETTING: Cardiac surgery ICU in a 130-bed private community nonteaching hospital. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients (n = 325) undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for cardiac surgery. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS: Arterial blood gas levels and lactate concentrations were measured at ICU admission, 4 h after surgery, between 6 h and 16 h after surgery, and on day 1. MAIN RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients (20.6%) had an IHL on ICU admission, and 56 patients (17.2%) acquired LHL during their ICU stay. ICU mortality was 1.5% for NHL, 3.6% for LHL, and 14.9% for IHL groups (p < 0.0001). The three groups differed significantly for elective surgery, type of operation, CPB duration, intraoperative mean arterial pressure, and intraoperative and postoperative use of vasopressor. Independent risk factors for IHL were nonelective surgery, CPB duration, and intraoperative use of vasopressor. Logistic regression identified hyperglycemia and epinephrine therapy for LHL as postoperative risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that IHL more accurately predicted ICU mortality than LHL. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperlactatemia is common after cardiac surgery. A lactate threshold of 3 mmol/L at ICU admission is able to identify a population at risk of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery.     

Comparison of the effects of inhalational anesthesia with desflurane and total intravenous anesthesia on cardiac biomarkers after aortic valve replacement

Objective (s):

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of using inhalational anesthesia with desflurane with that of a total intravenous (iv) anesthetic technique using midazolam-fentanyl-propofol on the release of cardiac biomarkers after aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS). The specific objectives included (a) determination of the levels of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) as markers of myocardial injury, (b) effect on mortality, morbidity, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hospital stay, incidence of arrhythmias, pacing, cardioversion, urine output, and serum creatinine.

Methodology and Design:

Prospective randomized clinical study.

Setting:

Operation room of a cardiac surgery center of a tertiary teaching hospital.

Participants:

Seventy-six patients in New York Heart Association classification II to III presenting electively for AVR for severe symptomatic AS.

Interventions:

Patients included in the study were randomized into two groups and subjected to either a desflurane-fentanyl based technique or total IV anesthesia (TIVA). Blood samples were drawn at preordained intervals to determine the levels of IMA, cTnI, and serum creatinine.

Measurements and Main Results:

The IMA and cTnI levels were not found to be significantly different between both the study groups. Patients in the desflurane group were found to had significantly lower ICU and hospital stays and duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation as compared to those in the TIVA group. There was no difference found in mean heart rate, urine output, serum creatinine, incidence of arrhythmias, need for cardioversion, and 30-day mortality between both groups. The patients in the TIVA group had higher mean arterial pressures on weaning off cardiopulmonary bypass as well as postoperatively in the ICU and recorded lower inotrope usage.

Conclusion:

The result of our study remains ambiguous regarding the overall protective effect of desflurane in patients undergoing AVR although some benefit in terms of shorter duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation, ICU and hospital stays, as well as cTnI, were seen. However, no difference in overall outcome could be clearly established between patients who received desflurane and those that were managed solely with IV anesthetic technique using propofol.     

Anaerobic mediastinitis complicating median sternotomy

Two cases of mediastinitis and bacteremia caused by Bacteroides species following median sternotomy are described. In both patients, purulent sternal drainage and signs of systemic toxicity led to the diagnosis. Surgical reexploration and administration of appropriate antibiotics effected clinical cure. Although there is only a single previous case of anaerobic mediastinitis following median sternotomy incision reported, these two cases suggest that this unusual infection may not be so rare as previously thought.     

Mediastinitis after cardiac surgery in Madani Heart Center, Tabriz, Iran

Post-sternotomy infections are a kind of nosocomial infection involving the mediastinum space and the sternum, with a high morbidity and mortality rate. The present study was carried out to identify the incidence of mediastinitis following cardiac surgery and the most common risk factors. Cardic patients undergoing surgery were studied for suspicious mediastinitis infection at the Madani Heart Center, Tabriz, Iran from 2004 to 2006. The most common isolated agents included the coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter spp. Incidence of postoperative mediastinitis after cardiac surgery was 1.2%. The mortality rate of postoperative mediastinitis was high (34.3%). Wound infection, especially mediastinitis following cardiac surgery, is rare but could be life-threatening. The most important step in the management of wound infections is prevention, and preventive measures could be strengthened by identifying the risk factors.     

Comparison of results of autologous versus homologous blood transfusion in open-heart surgery

Background

The aim of this study was to determine a method to decrease the use of homologous blood during openheart surgery using a simple blood-conservation protocol. We removed autologous blood from the patient before bypass and used isovolumetric substitution. We present the results of this protocol on morbidity and mortality of surgery patients from two distinct time periods.

Methods

Patients from the two surgical phases were enrolled in this retrospective study in order to compare the outcomes using autologous or homologous blood in open-heart surgery. A total of 323 patients were included in the study. The autologous transfusion group (group 1) comprised 163 patients and the homologous transfusion group (group 2) 160 patients. In group 1, autologous bloods were prepared via a central venous catheter that was inserted into the right internal jugular vein in all patients, using the isovolumetric replacement technique. The primary outcome was postoperative in-hospital mortality and mortality at 30 days. Secondary outcomes included the length of stay in hospital and in intensive care unit (ICU), time for extubation, re-intubations, pulmonary infections, pneumothorax, pleural effusions, atrial fibrillation, other arrhythmias, renal disease, allergic reactions, mediastinitis and sternal dehiscence, need for inotropic support, and low cardiac-output syndrome (LCOS).

Results

The mean ages of patients in groups 1 and 2 were 64.2 ± 10.3 and 61.5 ± 11.6 years, respectively. Thirty-eight of the patients in group 1 and 30 in group 2 were female. There was no in-hospital or 30-day mortality in either group. The mean extubation time, and ICU and hospital stays were significantly shorter in group 1. Furthermore, postoperative drainage amounts were less in group 1. There were significantly fewer patients with postoperative pulmonary complications, pneumonia, atrial fibrillation and renal disease. The number of patients who needed postoperative inotropic support and those with low cardiac output was also significantly less in group 1.

Conclusion

Autologous blood transfusion is a safe and effective method in carefully selected patients undergoing cardiac surgery. It not only prevents transfusion-related co-morbidities and complications but also enables early extubation time and shorter ICU and hospital stay. Furthermore, it reduces the cost of surgery.     

Obesity and diabetes as risk factors for postoperative wound infections after cardiac surgery

During a 30-month period, 20 median sternotomy wound infections or endocarditis occurred after 20 of 1204 (1.7%) cardiac surgery procedures in adults at the University of Maryland Hospital. We examined four risk factors related to the individual undergoing surgery: age, sex, and index of obesity (weight/height)², and presence of diabetes mellitus. The odds ratio estimates of the relative risk of infection observed with use of a population control group were as follows: sex (female) 3.5 (p < 0.05), obesity 2.0, and presence of diabetes mellitus 3.8. For a second control group matched for age, type of operative procedure, and date of operation, the estimated relative risks of infection were sex (female) 2.1, obesity 6.2 (p < 0.05), and diabetes mellitus 2.0. More precise definition of the relative risk of sternotomy infection associated with obesity and diabetes is required to aid surgeons and patients in making judgments about the relative benefits of surgery and to alert nursing personnel to be particularly aware of early signs of infection in patients at high risk.     

Comparison of clinical outcomes and postoperative recovery between two open heart surgeries:minimally invasive right subaxillary vertical thoracomy and traditional median sternotomy

Objective:To compare the clinical outcomes of minimally invasive right subaxillary vertical thoracotomy and traditional median sternotomy through right atrium in treatment of common congenital heart diseases.Methods:Clinical data of 59 cases of common congenital heart diseases treated with minimally invasive right axillary vertical thoracotomv from May,2011 to February,2013 and 77 cases of same diseases with traditional median sternotomy in the past three years were retrospectively analyzed,including atrial septal defect,membranous ventricular septal defect and partial endocardial cushion defect.The results were compared from the two groups,including the time for operation and cardiopulmonary bypass,amount of blood transfusion,postoperative drainage,ventilation time,hospital stay,and prognosis.Results:No severe complications happened in both groups,like deaths or secondery surgery caused by bleeding.No significant differences were in CPB time and postoperative ventilator time between groups(P0.05),while for all of the operative time,the length of incision,postoperative drainage and hospital stay,minimally invasive right axillary vertical thoracotomy was superior to median sternotomy,with statistically significant differences(P0.05).In six-month lollowup after operation,no complications of residual deformity and pericardial effusion were found in both groups bv doing echocardiography,but mild pectus carinatum was found in X patients in the traditional median sternotomy group(traditional groupi.whereas patients in another group were well recovered.Conclusions:Minimally invasive right subaxillary vertical thoracotomv for common congenital heart diseases is as safe as traditional median sternotomy,without the increasing incidence of postoperative complications.Additionally,compared with traditional median sternotomy,minimally invasive right subaxillary vertical thoracotomv is better in the aspects of hidden incision,appearance,and postoperative recovery.     

Will minimally invasive valve replacement ever really be important?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Most cardiac surgical centers worldwide have instituted some form of minimally invasive surgery into their operative armamentarium. However, skepticism still remains whether minimally invasive valve replacement will ever really be important. This review first addresses the definition of minimally invasive surgery and then analyzes the possible advantages and disadvantages of minimally invasive valvular surgery. RECENT FINDINGS: The nomenclature for minimally invasive surgery is ill defined. Minimally invasive valve replacement is a safe and effective procedure compared with total sternotomy. The advantages of minimally invasive valve replacement are the length of stay and disposition after discharge, postoperative bleeding, cosmesis, and postoperative pain, whereas the main disadvantage involves the operative times early in the learning curve. SUMMARY: Minimally invasive valve replacement is beneficial and will continue to evolve as an important treatment option for patients with valvular heart diseases.     

Conventional surgery continues to be the best option for surgical treatment of aortic valve disease. Arguments against

The median sternotomy is still the gold standard of cardiac surgery approaches. The main disadvantages of this cardiac access are osteomyelitis and mediastinitis which are infrequent but very serious; the aesthetic impact of a large and visible scar from the median lane and lastly respiratory failure consecutive to pain and sternal dehiscence. Other pathways have been developed in trying to reduce these complications and lessen the length of stay, pain and costs. From the many variants described up until now, the "J" ministernotomy seems to be the most accepted of these techniques. Although there are many published series describing these different cardiac approaches, the lack of prospective, randomized studies comparing conventional and minimally invasive surgery precludes the demonstration of the benefits of the new technique.In spite of this, we think the "J" ministernotomy undoubtedly has aesthetic advantages, smaller complications in patients with respiratory failure, easier repair in case of mediastinitis or osteomyelitis and fewer adhesions in surgical redos.     

Incidence and risk factors for sternal osteomyelitis after median sternotomy

BackgroundSternal osteomyelitis (OM) after median sternotomy is the rarest form of deep sternal wound infections (DSWIs). A retrospective study was implemented to evaluate the incidence and potential risk factors of sternal OM after median sternotomy.MethodsWe analyzed 3,410 consecutive patients who underwent cardiothoracic surgery via median sternotomy from January 2005 to December 2019 at our institution. A sternal OM and control group without any sign of wound infections after median sternotomy were selected. Comparisons of the variables between the two groups were performed using the Student’s t-test and Fisher’s exact tests. The association of potential risk factors with sternal OM was tested by logistic regression analysis.ResultsA total of 16 patients (0.47%) had sternal OM after median sternotomy. None of the variables were different between the sternal OM patients and the control group including body mass index (BMI), diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), left ventricle (LV) function, transfusion, operation time, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and intensive care unit and ventilator days. By univariate analysis, none of the variables were associated with an increased risk of sternal OM.ConclusionsThe incidence of sternal OM after median sternotomy in our institution was 0.47% and there was no correlation between the known risk factors of DSWI and sternal OM in our study.