Successful treatment of deep sternal wound infection and sternal non union with vacuum wound sealing and definitive sternal closure by thermoreactive clips

Abstract

Objective: Deep sternal wound infection with sternal non-union remains a dreaded complication of cardiac surgery with high mortality. In these patients, negative pressure (vacuum) wound-management has been established as standard treatment. However, sternal closure by conventional methods after prolonged open wound-management is a potentially hazardous procedure, due to posterior sternal adhesions. Alternatively, sternal closure may be achieved with thermoreactive (nitinol) clips, which do not require mobilisation of the posterior sternal plane.