Deep Sternal Wound Infection after Cardiac Surgery / 中华医院感染学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is one of the most serious complications after the open heart cardiac surgery. To explore the risk factors and appropriate treatment methods,we performed this study retrospectively. METHODS Between Jan 2001 and Jan 2006,1123 patients underwent various cardiac surgical procedures via a median sternotomy in the Cardiovascular Center of Beijing Tongren Hospital. These patients were divided into two groups by whether suffered from DSWI. Univariate analyses were performed for possible risk factors,and Logistic regression was used in multivariate analysis. RESULTS Eight among 1123 (0.71%) patients suffered from DSWI. No one died from wound infection. Results from both single variate analysis and multivariate analysis showed that only age significantly associated with DSWI. No other independent risk factors significantly associated with DSWI. Blood culture in acute DSWI group tended to be positive,while in chronic group it tended to be negative. All patients with DSWI were effectively cured. CONCLUSIONS Age is an independent risk factor for DSWI. Early debridement with closed chest catheter irrigation and antibiotics using are strongly recommended as an easy and effective way to treat DWSI. Large-scale multicenter studies are still needed to determine reliable risk factors for DSWI.