A protective device for negative-pressure therapy in patients with mediastinitis.

A devastating complication associated with negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) after cardiac surgical intervention is heart rupture resulting in serious bleeding. The benefit of a rigid barrier between the underlying organs and the sharp sternal edges has been demonstrated in pigs. In the present article, we present our first 6 patients with deep sternal wound infection treated with NPWT in combination with a protective device. The median duration of NPWT was 8 days (range, 6-14 days). No major bleeding or signs of organ damage were observed. The use of a protective device seems to decrease the risk of bleeding complications.