Advanced Management of Mediastinitis Post Cardiac Surgery

Abstract

Median sternotomy is the conventional incision in open heart surgery. One of its most serious complication is sternal wound infection and dehiscence, when this complication occurs , there is significant morbidity and mortality rate which exceeds 20%. There are different methods of classifying types of sternal wound infection and dehiscence but they are all about whether it is superficial infection affecting the skin and subcutaneous tissue or deep wound infection affecting the sternum and mediastinum. Many studies have been carried out to identify risk factors which can be categorized as medical causes such as obesity, COPD, DM and operative causes such as surgical technique, antiseptic preparations, antibiotic and the use of internal mammary arteries .