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Volume 19 Supplement 1

35th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

Predisposing factors for deep sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery

Critical Care volume 19, Article number: P10 (2015) Cite this article

Introduction

The aim of our study was to investigate perioperative risk factors associated with deep sternal wound infections in complicated cardiac surgery.

Methods

A total of 1,017 patients underwent cardiac surgery in a 2-year period. We investigate the correlation between deep sternal wound infection with the following 14 preoperative characteristics and perioperative parameters: age >75, female gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), insulin dependence, body mass index (BMI) >30, current smokers, COPD, cardiopulmonary bypass time (CBP) >120 minutes, use of steroids, emergency operation, prolonged mechanical ventilation (>48 hours), reintubation, transfusion with more than 3 units of red blood cells, and the postoperative use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV). The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.

Results

A total of 35 patients (3.44%) were complicated by deep sternal wound infections. No statistical correlation was found with age >75, gender, DM, BMI >30, steroids, emergent operation, prolonged ventilation, CBP time >120 minutes, reintubation and NIV. Factors with statistical significant correlation are presented in Table 1.

Table 1 Table 1
Full size table

Conclusion

Postoperative deep sternal wound infections have statistical significant correlation with the following parameters: transfusion with >3 red blood cell units, history of COPD, insulin dependence and when the patient is a current smoker. Also there is a tendency for correlation with CBP time >120 minutes (P = 0.056).

References

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    Schimmer C, et al: Prevention of sternal dehiscence and infection in high-risk patients: a prospective randomized multicenter trial. Ann Thorac Surg. 2008, 86: 1897-904. 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2008.08.071.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. General Hospital G. Papanikolaou Thessaloniki, Greece

    F Ampatzidou, M Sileli, A Madesis, K Antoniou, A Baddur, G Kechagioglou, T Asteri & G Drossos

Authors
  1. F Ampatzidou
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  2. M Sileli
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  3. A Madesis
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  4. K Antoniou
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  5. A Baddur
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  6. G Kechagioglou
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  7. T Asteri
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  8. G Drossos
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to F Ampatzidou.

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Cite this article

Ampatzidou, F., Sileli, M., Madesis, A. et al. Predisposing factors for deep sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery. Crit Care 19, P10 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/cc14090

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Keywords

  • Body Mass Index
  • Current Smoker
  • Cardiopulmonary Bypass
  • Wind Infection
  • Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation

Critical Care

ISSN: 1364-8535