BACKGROUND: Vacuum-assisted closure therapy is a novel treatment employed to aid wound healing in different areas of the body and recently also in sternotomy wounds. Aggressive vacuum-assisted closure treatment of the sternum in postoperative deep wound infection enhances sternal preservation and the rate of possible rewiring. METHODS: The records of 40 consecutive patients with deep sternal wound infection were reviewed. Sternal bone sparing was achieved by using layers of paraffin gauze (Jelonet; Smith and Nephew Medical, Hull, UK) at the bottom of the wound in order to cover and protect visible parts of the right ventricle, lung tissue, and grafts from the sternal edges. Two separate layers of polyurethane foam (KCI, Copenhagen, Denmark) were placed so as to fit between the sternal edges and subcutaneously. A continuous negative pressure of 125 mm Hg was applied and subsequent revision was made exclusively in nongranulation areas. RESULTS: There were no deaths during the 90 days of follow-up. Three late deaths unrelated to the infection and three subcutaneous fistulas occurred during the total follow-up period (3 to 41 months). The median duration of the vacuum-assisted closure therapy was 10 days (range, 3 to 34). The series represents a total of 474 days with the vacuum-assisted closure device without serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In our opinion this modified vacuum-assisted closure therapy is a safe and reproducible option to bridge patients with postoperative deep sternal wound infection to complete healing. Reconstruction of the sternum was achieved in all patients without the use of muscle or omental flap surgery.
BACKGROUND: Vacuum-assisted closure therapy is a novel treatment employed to aid wound healing in different areas of the body and recently also in sternotomy wounds. Aggressive vacuum-assisted closure treatment of the sternum in postoperative deep wound infection enhances sternal preservation and the rate of possible rewiring. METHODS: The records of 40 consecutive patients with deep sternal wound infection were reviewed. Sternal bone sparing was achieved by using layers of paraffin gauze (Jelonet; Smith and Nephew Medical, Hull, UK) at the bottom of the wound in order to cover and protect visible parts of the right ventricle, lung tissue, and grafts from the sternal edges. Two separate layers of polyurethane foam (KCI, Copenhagen, Denmark) were placed so as to fit between the sternal edges and subcutaneously. A continuous negative pressure of 125 mm Hg was applied and subsequent revision was made exclusively in nongranulation areas. RESULTS: There were no deaths during the 90 days of follow-up. Three late deaths unrelated to the infection and three subcutaneous fistulas occurred during the total follow-up period (3 to 41 months). The median duration of the vacuum-assisted closure therapy was 10 days (range, 3 to 34). The series represents a total of 474 days with the vacuum-assisted closure device without serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In our opinion this modified vacuum-assisted closure therapy is a safe and reproducible option to bridge patients with postoperative deep sternal wound infection to complete healing. Reconstruction of the sternum was achieved in all patients without the use of muscle or omental flap surgery.
Authors: Tatjana Fleck; Ronny Gustafsson; Keith Harding; Richard Ingemansson; Mitchell D Lirtzman; Herbert L Meites; Reinhard Moidl; Patricia Price; Andrew Ritchie; Jorge Salazar; Johan Sjögren; David H Song; Bauer E Sumpio; Boulos Toursarkissian; Ferdinand Waldenberger; Walter Wetzel-Roth Journal: Int Wound J Date: 2006-12 Impact factor: 3.315
Authors: Estas Bovill; Paul E Banwell; Luc Teot; Elof Eriksson; Colin Song; Jim Mahoney; Ronny Gustafsson; Raymund Horch; Anand Deva; Ian Whitworth Journal: Int Wound J Date: 2008-09-19 Impact factor: 3.315
Authors: Christian Torbrand; Richard Ingemansson; Lotta Gustafsson; Per Paulsson; Malin Malmsjö Journal: Int Wound J Date: 2008-09-19 Impact factor: 3.315
Authors: Erik Anesäter; K Markus Roupé; Markus Roupé; Peter Robertsson; Ola Borgquist; Christian Torbrand; Richard Ingemansson; Sandra Lindstedt; Malin Malmsjö Journal: Int Wound J Date: 2011-05-17 Impact factor: 3.315