Incidence Of Sternal Wound Infection Research Articles

Closed-incision negative pressure therapy as a strategy to reduce sternal wound infection in identified high-risk patients: a multicentre propensity matched study.

The premise of this retrospective study was to evaluate the intraoperative use of closed-incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT) to help reduce the incidence of postoperative sternal wound infections in multimorbid patients with an elevated risk of developing a sternal wound infection post cardiac surgery versus a cohort that received standard-of-care dressings. Data for all adult patients were collected from each cardiothoracic surgery unit across 3 hospitals in the United Kingdom. High-risk patients had 2 or more recognized risk factors. Fisher's exact test (two-tailed) and unpaired t-test were used to help analyse categorical and continuous data. Propensity matching was performed to compare the 2 groups. A total of 5,288 patients who had cardiac surgery were included. Propensity matching led to 766 matched cases. There were significantly fewer sternal wound infections in the ciNPT group [43 (5.6%) vs 119 (15.5%) cases; P = 0.0001], as well as fewer deep sternal wound infections [14 (1.8%) vs 31 (4.0%) cases; P = 0.0149] and superficial sternal wound infections [29 (3.8%) vs 88 (11.4%) cases; P = 0.0001]. A higher mean length of stay in the ciNPT group was statistically significant (11.23 ± 13 vs 9.66 ± 10 days; P = 0.0083) as was a significantly higher mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) (11.143 ± 13 vs 8.094 ± 11; P = 0.0001). A statistically significant higher readmission to the intensive care unit due to sternal wound infection was noted for the controls [16 (2.08%) vs 3 (0.39%) readmissions; P = 0.0042]. The ciNPT appears to be an effective intervention to help reduce the incidence of sternal wound infection in high-risk individuals undergoing cardiac surgery.

Dermabond Prineo Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery: A Two Component 2-Octyl-Cyanoacrylate Adhesive Wound Closure System

Sternal infections have high mortality and cost burden in cardiac surgery. Skin closure is critical in preventing sternal infections. Dermabond Prineo is a skin closure system combining mesh and 2-octyl cyanoacrylate liquid adhesive. There are no current studies reporting outcomes in cardiac surgery. This paper presents an Australasian unit’s experience of Dermabond Prineo and reports the incidence of sternal wound infection.

Early tracheostomy after cardiac surgery improves intermediate- and long-term survival

ObjectiveComplicated post-cardiac surgery course, can lead to both prolonged ICU stay and ventilation, and may require a tracheostomy. This study represents the single-center experience with post-cardiac surgery tracheostomy. The aim of this study was to assess the timing of tracheostomy as a risk factor for early, intermediate, and late mortality. The study’s second aim was to assess the incidence of both superficial and deep sternal wound infections. DesignRetrospective study of prospectively collected data. SettingTertiary hospital. PatientsPatients were divided into 3 groups, according to the timing of tracheostomy; early (4−10 days); intermediate (11−20 days) and late (≥21 days). InterventionsNone. Main variables of interestThe primary outcomes were early, intermediate, and long-term mortality. The secondary outcome was the incidence of sternal wound infection. ResultsDuring the 17-year study period, 12,782 patients underwent cardiac surgery, of whom 407 (3.18%) required postoperative tracheostomy. 147 (36.1%) had early, 195 (47.9%) intermediate, and 65 (16%) had a late tracheostomy. Early, 30-day, and in-hospital mortality was similar for all groups. However, patients, who underwent early- and intermediate tracheostomy, demonstrated statistically significant lower mortality after 1- and 5-year (42.8%; 57.4%; 64.6%; and 55.8%; 68.7%; 75.4%, respectively; P < .001). Cox model demonstrated age [1.025 (1.014–1.036)] and timing of tracheostomy [0.315 (0.159−0.757)] had significant impacts on mortality. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates a relationship between the timing of tracheostomy after cardiac surgery and mortality: early tracheostomy (within 4−10 days of mechanical ventilation) is associated with better intermediate- and long-term survival.

Surgical Audit of Sternal Wound Infection Following Cardiac Surgery at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital (IALCH), Durban, South Africa

Introduction: Sternal wound infection is a devastating complication following cardiac surgery. It is associated with sternal mal-union, mediastinitis and bacteremia with subsequent infective endocarditis and redo surgery. Although the incidence of sternal wound infections has decreased to 1% - 4% of all cardiac surgery procedures. Sternal wound infection continues to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and decrease long term life expectancy. New approaches to open heart surgery, deep and superficial wound infection has a significant impact on patients’ morbidity, length of stay and cost of care. This study was to identify risk factors associated with sternal wound infection and prompt treatments measures to decrease this complication. Methods: Between January 2016- December 2018, thirty-eight (38) adult patient above 14 years who underwent cardiac surgery developed sternal wound infection at IALCH, KwaZulu Natal Province. Retrospectively reviewed and analyzed patient’s records were evaluated for demographics, risk factors, management and the outcome in relation to hospital stay and cost. The following risk factors shows significant P value&lt;0.05. Results: The study revealed that, of the 38 patients, 24 were female (63.2%) and 14 male (36.8%), while 26 patients (68.4%) below 60 years, 12 patients (31.6%) above 60 years. 13 patients (34.2%) developed deep sternal wound infection against 25 (65.8%) who developed superficial wound sternal wound infection. Surgical procedure was for valvular heart disease 24 (63.2%), CABG 13 (34.2%) and 1 (2.6%) concomitant CABG and valve replacement. Prolonged ICU stay 3.08 days SD=1.49 was associated with deep sternal wound infection compared to 1.79 days SD=0.723 for superficial, p=0.0001. Conclusion: This study showed that sternal wound infection increases overall hospital stay and is associated with increased overall treatment cost therefore, it is imperative to address known risk factors by adhering to and implementing preventative programs.

A bundle of infection control measures reduces postoperative sternal wound infection due to Staphylococcus aureus but not Gram-negative bacteria: a retrospective analysis of 6903 patient episodes

Prevention of cardiac surgical site infection has largely focused on reducing infection due to Staphylococcus aureus, although other bacteria also play an important role in this complication. To assess the impact of an evolving infection control programme on the incidence of sternal wound infection (SWI), and the changing incidence of non-staphylococcal infections. A retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent primary sternotomy at a single UK centre between September 2010 and May 2018 was undertaken. Data were collated from the 2 years preceding the stepwise introduction of a broad-ranging infection control programme, including S. aureus decolonization. In total, 6903 primary sternotomies were performed, of which 2.6% (N=178) were complicated by SWI. Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) and S. aureus were most commonly identified as causative pathogens (45.5% and 30.3%, respectively). Following programme introduction, there was a reduction in the rate of SWI from 3.9 to 1.8 cases/100 patients/month. This was mainly due to a sustained reduction in cases of S. aureus infection, with no discernible impact on GNB. Multi-variable logistic regression analysis identified coronary artery bypass grafting, procedural urgency, and procedures performed in the third quarter of the calendar year (July to September) as independent risk factors for postoperative infection. A multi-faceted infection control programme was successful at reducing the rate of SWI, primarily due to a reduction in S. aureus infections. GNB also play an important role in SWI, and traditional preventative measures fail to address these. Future intervention and impact assessments should consider GNB infections when measuring effectiveness.

Topical Vancomycin and Risk of Sternal Wound Infections: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundThe use of topical vancomycin in the reduction of sternal wound infection (SWI) risk has become a point of contention. The earlier literature consists of observational studies and 1 unblinded trial. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess whether vancomycin reduces the incidence of SWI in a double-blind randomized controlled trial. MethodsPatients were randomized 1:1 to either vancomycin-soaked (vancomycin) or saline-soaked (control) sponges. The sponges were applied once the sternum was opened and were removed just before sternal closure. Patients were followed up at 3 months and at 1 year postoperatively to determine the incidence of SWI in each group. Results were analyzed according to the modified intention-to-treat principle. ResultsThis study assessed 1038 patients for eligibility and enrolled 1037 patients. There were 517 patients randomized to the vancomycin group and 520 patients randomized to the control group. Analysis was performed on 1021 patients. At 3 months postoperatively, there was no significant difference in the incidence of SWI between the vancomycin and control groups (2.7% vs 4.1%; P = .23). There was also no significant difference between the vancomycin and control groups in the risk of superficial, deep, and organ-space infections. Similar findings were observed 1 year postoperatively. The most common organism isolated was coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. ConclusionsThe use of vancomycin applied to the sternum during cardiac surgery does not reduce the incidence of SWI.

174 Semi-Skeletonized Versus Pedicled Internal Mammary Artery Harvesting: A Systematic Review

Abstract Objectives To compare semi-skeletonized with pedicled harvesting technique of the internal mammary artery for coronary artery bypass surgery. Method A comprehensive literature search was performed on PubMed, Cochrane database, Embase, Google Scholar and Ovid identifying articles that compared semi-skeletonised to pedicled internal mammary artery in the use of coronary artery bypass surgery. Databases were evaluated and assessed from inception to July 2020. Results Only five studies fulfilled the criteria for this review. There was no reported incidence of sternal wound infection, myocardial infarction, or mortality. The length of the IMA graft was longer in the semi-skeletonized group compared to the pedicled group, 16.06cm versus 14.63cm respectively (p &amp;lt; 0.001). The intraoperative diastolic flow was significantly greater in the semi-skeletonized grafts than in the pedicled grafts during (p = 0.003) and after (p = 0.005) cardiopulmonary bypass. The incidence of pleural effusion (pedicled, 52.6%; semi-skeletonized, 23.6%; p = 0.002) and atelectasis (pedicled, 42.1%; semi-skeletonized, 20.0%, p = 0.015) were significantly higher in pedicled group. Post-operative chest tube drainage was significantly higher in the pedicled group (608 ± 58 mL compared to 470 ± 48 mL; p = 0.027). Additionally, FEV1 was significantly decreased in the pedicled group 6 days after surgery (pedicled:76.0% ± 1.6%; semi-skeletonized: 83.2% ± 1.6%; p = 0.020). Conclusions These results demonstrate that the semi-skeletonized preparation technique is associated with satisfactory outcomes during harvesting the internal mammary artery. Yet, due to limited numbers of studies, there is need for larger comparative studies to assess post-operative outcomes with a longer period of follow up.

Addition of benzylpenicillin to antibiotic prophylaxis reduces deep sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery

SummaryObjectivesIn Sweden, cloxacillin is recommended as the sole antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of surgical site infections after cardiac surgery. Cutibacterium acnes, formerly Propionibacterium acnes, has been shown to be present in the surgical wound. Formerly an overlooked pathogen, there are increasing reports that C acnes can cause surgical site infections, including sternal wound infections. Cloxacillin may not be optimal for prevention of C acnes infection, therefore benzylpenicillin was added to our routine intraoperative prophylaxis in 2015. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of benzylpenicillin on incidence of sternal wound infection.MethodsWe included 3920 consecutive patients that underwent cardiac surgery via median sternotomy at our centre from 2009 thru 2018. All patients were followed up two months postoperatively. The rate of sternal wound infection before and after 2015 were compared. Logistic multivariable analysis was used to adjust for potential confounders.ResultsThe mean incidence of sternal wound infection that required surgical revision decreased from 4.7% to 1.7% after addition of benzylpenicillin (p < 0.001). Significant decrease was seen in sternal wound infections caused by Coagulase negative staphylococci, either alone (p<0.001) or concomitant with C acnes (p=0.008). Addition of benzylpenicillin remained independently associated with the reduction of sternal wound infections in the multivariable analysis (OR=0.36 CI=0.23–0.56, p<0.001).ConclusionsAddition of benzylpenicillin was associated with a reduction in surgically treated infections and might be effective against infection caused by CoNS with and without co-infection by C acnes, although the exact underlying mechanism is unknown.

Use of Tropical Vancomycin in Decreasing the Incidence of Surgical Site Infection in Open Heart Surgery

Aim: To study the effect of vancomycin tropically in decreasing the incidence of sternal wound infection in patients undergoing open cardiac surgery. Study design: Randomized controlled trial Place and duration: Department of Cardiovascular &amp; Thoracic Surgery Sheikh Zayed Hospital Lahore from 1st January 2019 to 31st July 2020. Methods: A total of 180 male and female planned for elective open heart surgery is selected for this research work. All patients age is between 40 and 70 years and these patients are bifurcated in two groups. In Group I there are 90 patients in which vancomycin is used on the sternal edges, while in Group II there are 90 patients in which only normal saline wash is used at the time of sternal approximation. At the end incidence of sternal wound infection is monitored to establish the benefits of tropical vancomycin. Results: One hundred and thirty three (73.89%) were males and 47 (26.11%) were females. Topical vancomycin group has decreased rate of superficial and deep sternal wound infections as compared to the patients in which topical vancomycin is not applied (2.22% vs 6.67%) and (1.11% vs 4.4%). Conclusion: Application of vancomycin tropically at surgical site at the time of closure of sternum in conjunction with prophylactic use of antibiotics reduces wound infection in open heart surgery. Keywords: Open heart surgery, Vancomycin, Sternal wound infection

Minimal Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement Through Right Mini_Thoracotomy Versus Conventional Approach In The Egypt

Background: Full median sternotomy was established a long time ago as the standard approach for all varieties of heart surgery. Although that, it may cause significant surgical trauma and morbidity, so minimally invasive cardiac surgery for aortic valve replacement via partial sternotomy, para-sternal approach and anterior mini-thoracotomy is used trying to improve the outcome . Objective: to check the outcome of minimally invasive aortic valve surgery through a right mini-thoracotomy, and its rule in minimizing the surgical access, achieving better wound appearance, decreasing post-operative discomfort and better postoperative recovery with the same safety and results like conventional surgery . Methods: our study was performed in the Armed Forces Hospitals El Maddi& El Galaa and kobry elkobba, Egypt. Between January 2015 to March 2017, sixty patients were diagnosed with AVD requiring aortic valve surgery were randomly selected, of them Thirty patients had aortic valve surgery through full median sternotomy with aorto-right atrial cannulation and the other thirty patients had right mini-thoracotomy with femoral cannulation . Results# Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (MIAVR) was associated with reduced morbidity and mortality, where there was a safer approach in case of re-operation, better cosmetic outcome, less bleeding post-operative, lower number of blood products usage, less intensive care unit and hospital stays, decreased time until return to full activity and avoiding the incidence of sternal wound infection. That good results were also achievable in high-risk patients . Conclusion: Minimal Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement Through Right Mini-thoracotomy is an acceptable alternative to Full median sternotomy, has reduced morbidity and potential mortality and good clinical outcome, with two concerns which are the operative cost and the relatively long bypass and cross clamp time which are related to the learning curve of the surgeons

Obesity and Preoperative Anaemia as Independent Risk Factors for Sternal Wound Infection After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery with Pedicled (Non-Skeletonized) Internal Mammary Arteries: The Role of Thoracic Wall Ischemia?

PurposeObesity remains statistically associated with coronary artery disease, for which coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) remains the standard of care. However, obesity is also associated with sternal wound infection (SWI) which is a severe complication of CABG despite advances in surgery and in infection prevention and control. Strategies to reduce the incidence of SWI are still being investigated, and we therefore conducted a retrospective study to revisit factors other than obesity associated with SWI after CABG.Patients and MethodsData were extracted from the medical records of 182 patients who underwent elective on-pump CABG using one or both pedicled internal mammary artery grafts in Reims University Hospital between May 2015 and May 2016. All preoperative or perioperative variables with a p value<0.10 in univariate analysis were entered into a stepwise logistic regression model.ResultsAmong the 182 patients (145 male (79.6%), median age 68.0 [45.0–87.0] years), 138 (75.8%) underwent CABG using bilateral internal mammary artery grafts. Median BMI was 27.7 [18.7–50.5] kg/m2, and there were 51 (28.0%) and 79 (43.4%) patients with obesity and overweight, respectively. Twenty-three out of the 182 patients (12.6%) developed SWI. In-hospital mortality was not statistically different between patients with and without SWI but the median length of stay was (6.0 [2.0–38.0] versus 5.0[3.0–21.0] days in the intensive care unit, p=0.03, and 26.0 [9.0–134.0] versus 9.0 [7.0–51.0] days in hospital, p<0.0001). Obesity and preoperative anaemia were independently associated with SWI, as was the number of red blood cell (RBC) units transfused (OR 14.61 [2.64–80.75], OR 4.64 [1.61–13.34] and OR 1.27 [1.02–1.58], respectively).ConclusionThe independent association of SWI with the number of RBC units transfused and the existence of preoperative anaemia and obesity suggests a mechanism of thoracic wall ischemia in SWI after CABG, thus leaving insufficient perfusion of the thoracic wall in patients with obesity. Medical strategies are warranted to try to prevent this costly complication.

Sternal wound infections during the COVID-19 pandemic: an unexpected benefit

The novel coronavirus, now termed SARS-CoV-2, has had a significant impact on cardiac surgical services globally. Although drastically reduced, our institution has maintained a significant level of cardiac surgical activity during the pandemic. Rigorous COVID-19 guidelines have been instituted to mitigate the risk of viral transmission. We observed a reduction in sternal wound infections since the institution of new perioperative surgical guidelines. We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent cardiac surgery at our institution since a national lockdown was declared in March 2020. A retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent cardiac surgery in the 12 months preceding the national lockdown, as a baseline cohort group, was also performed. A total of 2600 patients (493 during the COVID-19 pandemic) were included in this study. Urgent/emergency procedures accounted for more than 60% of procedures performed during the lockdown compared to 39% previously. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 4 sternal wound infections with an overall incidence of 0.8%. In comparison, the incidence of sternal wound infections was significantly higher at 3.0% in the 12-month period prior to lockdown with 63 sternal wound infections (p = 0.006). This report suggests a significant role of iatrogenic causes in sternal wound infections prior to the pandemic. The strict implementation of guidelines in the perioperative period suggests that sternal wound infections can be prevented. We propose that the now widespread COVID-19 guidelines to reduce transmission risk be adapted to help reduce the incidence of sternal wound infections.

Effects of platelet-rich plasma on the healing of sternal wounds: A meta-analysis.

Sternal wound infection (SWI) is a devastating complication after cardiac surgery. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may have a positive impact on sternal wound healing. A systematic review with meta-analyses was performed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of topical application of autologous PRP for preventing SWI and promoting sternal wound healing compared to placebo or standard treatment without PRP. Relevant studies published in English or Chinese were retrieved from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library), PubMed, Ovid EMBASE, Web of Science, Springer Link, and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) using the search terms "platelet-rich plasma" and "sternal wound" or "thoracic incision." References identified through the electronic search were screened, the data were extracted, and the methodological quality of the included studies was assessed. The meta-analysis was performed for the following outcomes: incidence of SWI, incidence of deep sternal wound infection (DSWI), postoperative blood loss (PBL), and other risk factors. In the systematic review, totally 10 comparable studies were identified, involving 7879 patients. The meta-analysis for the subgroup of retrospective cohort studies (RSCs) showed that the incidence of SWI and DSWI in patients treated with PRP was significantly lower than that in patients without PRP treatment. However, for the subgroup of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), there was no significant difference in the incidence of SWI or DSWI after intervention between the PRP and control groups. There was no significant difference in PBL in both RCTs and RSCs subgroups. Neither adverse reactions nor in-situ recurrences were reported. According to the results, PRP could be considered as a candidate treatment to prevent SWI and DSWI. However, the quality of the evidence is too weak, and high-quality RCTs are needed to assess its efficacy on preventing SWI and DSWI.

Short-Term Risk of Bilateral Internal Mammary Artery Grafting in Diabetic Patients

This study compares the morbidity and mortality at 30 days following the use of bilateral internal mammary arteries (BIMA) vs a single internal mammary artery (SIMA) at the time of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with a preoperative HbA1c. Patients undergoing CABG from January 2008 to December 2016 reported to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into 2 groups: use of BIMA or use of SIMA and propensity matched. To assess the effect of preoperative HbA1c, both groups were further divided into 5 subgroups: patients without diabetes mellitus (DM), or patients with DM and a preoperative HbA1c level in one of four groups (< 7%, 7-9%, 9-11%, or >11%). The postoperative outcomes in both the BIMA and SIMA groups were compared. There were 700,504 and 28,115 patients with measured preoperative HbA1c levels in the SIMA and BIMA groups, respectively. Propensity score matching identified 23,635 comparable patients in each group for analysis. There was no difference in postoperative mortality between the BIMA and SIMA groups (1.3% vs 1.2%). The incidences of sternal wound infection (SWI) in patients undergoing placement of BIMA vs SIMA were: 0.8% vs 0.4% with no DM (P < 0.0001), 1.9% vs 1.0% with HbA1c < 7% (P < 0.001), 2.4% vs 1.2% with HbA1c 7-9% (P < 0.001), 2.8% vs 1.4% with HbA1c 9-11% (P = 0.02), 4.1% vs 1.5% with HbA1c > 11% (P = 0.01). Based on the incidence of SWI, BIMA is a reasonable approach with an HbA1c<7%.

Prevention of Sternal Wound Infections in Women Using an External Sternum Fixation Corset.

Purpose: Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) and mediastinitis are devastating complications after median sternotomy. Previous studies demonstrated an effective prevention of sternal wound infection (SWI) using an external sternal corset in high-risk cardiac surgery patients. The aim of this study is to assess the preventive effect of the Stern-E-Fix corset in high-risk poststernotomy female patients.Methods: A total of 145 high-risk female patients undergoing cardiac surgery through median sternotomy were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into group A (n = 71), who received the Stern-E-Fix corset (Fendel & Keuchen GmbH, Aachen, Germany), and group B (n = 74), who received the elastic thorax bandage (SanThorax) postoperatively for 6 weeks. The mean follow-up period was 12 weeks.Results: Incidence of SWI was 7% in group A vs. 17.6% in group B (p = 0.025). One patient presented with DSWI in group A vs. seven patients in group B (p = 0.063). No patient developed mediastinitis in group A vs. four patients in group B (p = 0.121). In all, 4.2% of group A patients required operative wound therapy vs. 16.2% of group B patients (p = 0.026). The length of hospital stay was significantly longer in group B (p = 0.006).Conclusion: Using an external supportive sternal corset (Stern-E-Fix) yields a significantly better and effective prevention against development of sternal dehiscence, DSWI, and mediastinitis in high-risk poststernotomy female patients.

Skeletonized versus pedicled left internal mammary artery harvesting and risk of sternal wound infection after coronary artery bypass surgery

Background: The left internal mammary artery (LIMA) is the gold standard conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). There are two harvesting methods, either pedicled or skeletonized. The choice of any technique must consider its complication profile, especially sternal wound infections (SWI). This study aims to evaluate and compare the occurrence of SWI after pedicled and skeletonized LIMA harvesting techniques for CABG.&#x0D; Methods: This prospective observational study included 300 patients who had CABG between 2016 and 2019. We included patients who had pedicled LIMA (n=200) in group 1 and who had skeletonized LIMA (n=100) in group 2. All patients completed a follow-up period of 3 months after CABG. The evaluation during follow-up included: sternal instability, signs of wound infection, temperature, the microbiological study of wound discharge, and chest computed tomography scan.&#x0D; Results: There was no significant differences in age (p = 0.20), male to female ratio (p = 0.43), body mass index (p = 0.12), NYHA I/II (p = 0.50), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.28), ejection fraction (p= 0.14), and EuroSCORE II (p= 0.09) between groups. No significant difference in cardiopulmonary bypass time (p = 0.24), and cross-clamp time (p= 0.19) between groups. There was a significant increase in the total operating time in skeletonized LIMA group (212.77±75.25 min vs. 190.78±55 minutes, p= 0.004). Skeletonized LIMA was significantly associated lower incidence of SWI than that with pedicled LIMA (4% vs 15.5%, p= 0.003), and non-significantly lower incidence of deep SWI (1% vs 4.5%, p= 0.11). The risk factors for SWI in patients who had pedicled IMA were obesity (OR: 13.06, 95%CI: 3.98-42.89), diabetes mellitus (OR: 10.51, 95%CI: 2.35-46.84), and excessive diathermy (OR: 12.62, 95%CI: 3.93-40.54).&#x0D; Conclusion: Obesity, diabetes, and the use of excessive diathermy for hemostasis may increase the risk of sternal wound infection with pedicled LIMA harvest compared to skeletonized LIMA in patients undergoing CABG.

Study of association of preoperative glycosylated haemoglobin level and outcome after cardiac surgery

Background: Diabetes mellitus involves 8.7% of the adult community in India, and its preponderance is rising. Diabetes is an independent risk factor for complications after open cardiac surgery. Poor glycaemic control, measured by glycosylated haemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), is associated with high incidence of micro and macroangiopathy. HbA1c reflects the patient's prevailing sugar control over the previous 120-150 days. Perioperative cardiac surgical risk scoring systems like Euro Score and STS scoring systems do not include HbA1c level as risk factor. We intended to study the correlation of preoperative HbA1c level and outcome after cardiac surgery. Methodology: A total of 350 patients who had undergone elective cardiac surgery were included. All patients were stratified into two groups, Group 1 with HbA1c level 7%. Intraoperative and postoperative adverse events were documented retrospectively. The two groups of patients were compared with regard to their demographic data, operation risk, mortality and morbidity. Results: Overall incidence of major adverse events (7.7%) and mortality (4.8%) were very low. Incidence of sternal wound infection and prolonged ventilator support (> 24 hrs) were significant in group 2 compared to group 1 (p values were 0.03 and 0.01 respectively). Conclusion: Preoperative HbA1c level may provide more accurate prognostic information about outcomes after all major open cardiac surgeries compared with a diabetes status alone.

Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is associated with a low rate of complications.

Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is generally performed through a right minithoracotomy, in contrast to the traditional full median sternotomy approach. Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is performed with increasing frequency, and by reducing surgical trauma, several observational studies suggest potential benefits with decreased bleeding and postoperative pain, reduced incidence of sternal wound infections, reduced length of hospital stay and shortened recovery period after surgery. In this review, we present an overview of mitral valve surgery, summarize the available evidence regarding the minimally invasive approach and report our experiences from introducing a minimally invasive mitral valve surgery programme at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden.

AIncisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (INPWT) for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Patients

Background: Surgical site infections are major complications of coronary artery bypass grafting using bilateral internal thoracic arteries. In this study we reviewed the results of using INPWT for high risk patients with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using bilateral internal mammary arteries. Patients and methods: From January 2013 to December 2016, patients with coronary artery bypass grafting using bilateral mammary arteries were enrolled in this study. Patients were from Kasr El-Einy, Beni-Suef and Fayoum University Hospitals. The total number was 427 patients, where INPWT was used in 161 patient, and conventional sterilized dressing was done in 266 patients. 2 groups were matched for statistical analysis, the first group was the control and the second group was where INPWT was used. Results: The results related to sternal wound infections were similarly attributed to the conventional group (10.9%) and the INPWT group (10.2%) (P=1.00). Patients treated with INPWT had less rate of infection than those with conventional dressing (5.5% versus 10.2%, P= 0.210), this difference was not statistically significant. Interaction tests also showed comparable results for SSI (surgical site infections) among patients with or without significant co-morbidities. Conclusion: This study suggests that the use of INPWT did not decrease the incidence of sternal wound infections in patients who had CABG surgery using bilateral internal mammary harvesting (BIMA). A larger randomized study is needed to evaluate the efficacy of this technique.

Topical Vancomycin in Cardiac surgery to reduce Sternal wound Infections: A Randomized Controlled trial at a Tertiary Cardiac Care facility

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of topical vancomycin in reducing the incidence of sternal wound infections (SWI) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Study design: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). Material and methods: This double blinded randomized clinical trial was carried out on 276 patients scheduled for elective CABG surgery. Patients were divided into two equal groups. In patients of group A (n=138) topical vancomycin solution was used in the sternal wound, and patients in group B (n=138) topical normal saline before sternal wound closure in coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The incidence of sternal wound infection was followed over an 18 months period. Major risk factors like diabetes mellitus (DM), smoking, and prolonged operation time i,e cardiopulmonary bypass time (CPB time) and cross clamp time were also evaluated.