Infected median sternotomy wound. Successful treatment by muscle flaps

Mediastinal infection following open-heart surgery. Treatment with retrosternal irrigation

A consecutive series of 1083 patients undergoing open-heart surgery was prospectively observed for infectious complications. Postoperative mediastinitis developed in 15 cases (1.4%). Surgical management of the mediastinal complication consisted of careful debridement of the sternal wound and the anterior mediastinum, followed by continuous retrosternal irrigation with an antiseptic or antibiotic solution after sternal refixation. The mean duration of mediastinal irrigation was 12.7 days. This treatment was successful in 13 of the 15 patients. In 2 of the 13, however, secondary refixation became necessary to stabilize the fragmented sternum. Repeated refixation with mediastinal irrigation was effective in one of these patients. The other underwent removal of the fragmented sternum followed by muscle plasty, but died unexpectedly of aortic dissection when signs of infection were subsiding. Two patients (13%) treated with closed chest irrigation died of recalcitrant mediastinal infection.

Use of muscle flaps in the treatment of infected sternotomy

Deep wound infection after open-heart surgery remains a major problem. In this paper potential indications and techniques for use of muscle flaps in the treatment of chronic sternal infections are discussed and the authors' early experience with such treatment is presented. A well vascularized muscle flap fills out the defect, may help to control infection, and accelerates healing. After adequate excision of infected tissue, bone and cartilage, the resulting defect is covered with a muscle flap immediately or after a period of open treatment. Coverage with a flap of pectoralis major muscle was used in five patients 3 weeks to 6 months after cardiac surgery. Primary healing occurred in two patients, secondary healing in one and healing with residual fistula in one patient. In the fifth case there was uneventful recovery with primary healing until death occurred from cerebral haemorrhage after 3 weeks. Use of muscle flaps seems to be a valuable complement in the management of severe sternotomy infections.

Omental transposition for closure of median sternotomy following severe mediastinal and vascular infection

Three patients suffering from severe sternal wound infection, underlying mediastinitis, and aortic sepsis were successfully treated by radical debridement of the infected tissues and mediastinal transposition of the greater omentum. Sternomediastinal antibiotic irrigation is an accepted treatment for postoperative sternomediastinitis, but appears insufficient when infection involves underlying vascular or cardiac structures. In such circumstances, extensive sternal debridement is mandatory and healthy tissue transposition, such as omentum, is a valuable alternative.

Infectious complications and cost-effectiveness of open resuscitation in the surgical intensive care unit after cardiac surgery

From July, 1982, to May, 1984, 2,412 patients underwent cardiac surgery. Open resuscitation through a midline sternotomy was performed in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) 88 times in 64 patients one minute to 10 days after admission. There were 49 initial survivors; 31 patients had primary closure in the SICU (Group 1), and 18 patients had delayed closure (Group 2). In Group 1 there was 1 death. Wound infection developed in 2 of the 30 survivors--Escherichia coli in 1 and Staphylococcus epidermidis in 1. The latter required subsequent debridement. In Group 2 there were 8 survivors and no wound infections. Fifteen patients could not be resuscitated because of ventricular arrhythmia (13%), asystole (33%), cardiogenic shock (47%), and tamponade (7%). Only 2 of 38 patients, or 5%, experienced wound infections. This study demonstrates that open resuscitation in the SICU is a safe, rapid, and cost-effective procedure that will allow earlier intervention, diagnosis, and treatment. In no instance was death attributed to wound infection, and at our institution, this method resulted in cost savings of more than $1,000 per patient.

A survey of 77 major infectious complications of median sternotomy: a review of 7,949 consecutive operative procedures

Sternal wound infections developed following 77 (0.97%) of 7,949 operative procedures involving median sternotomy at New York University Medical Center from 1976 to 1984. Risk factors associated with the development of a sternal wound infection included combined revascularization and valve replacement, early reexploration for bleeding, prolonged low cardiac output syndrome, and prolonged ventilatory support (greater than 24 hours). Concomitant infection at other sites with the same organism as cultured from the sternum was present in 42% of the patients. Thirty-seven patients (48%) were treated with radical debridement followed by closed antibiotic irrigation. In 31 other patients (40%), the wounds were debrided and left to heal by open granulation. Both initial treatments had equally high success rates (78.4% and 74.2%, respectively). However, the open granulation method resulted in a hospital stay that was an average of 10 days longer than the closed antibiotic irrigation method. Muscle flaps were used to expedite healing of open granulation in 9 patients. Analysis of the results of different treatment strategies revealed that if debridement was accomplished within 20 days of the initial cardiac procedure, 76% of the patients could be successfully treated with closed antibiotic irrigation. Conversely, if treatment was delayed for longer than 20 days, 81% of the patients were treated with open granulation (p less than 0.001). Also noted was an inverse relationship between the serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level and the success rate of initial treatment with closed antibiotic irrigation. Patients with a serum BUN level of less than 40 mg/dl at the time of debridement had a 90% success rate as opposed to a success rate of 38% when the BUN level was 40 mg/dl or greater. The data presented suggest the following conclusions. Early diagnosis is crucial to successful treatment of sternal wound infection. When diagnosis can be established within 20 days, 80% of infections can be eradicated by the simple approach of debridement and closed antibiotic irrigation. When diagnosis is delayed, however, prompt debridement followed by muscle flaps is the procedure of choice. Open granulation alone, while successful, unnecessarily prolongs the hospital course.

Effect of resection of the sternum and manubrium in conjunction with muscle transposition on pulmonary function

We recorded the changes in pulmonary function that occurred after removal of the sternum and manubrium and repair by pectoralis major muscle transposition in six patients. Of these patients, three had osteomyelitis of the manubrium and sternum, two had osteosarcoma of the sternum, and one had osteomyelitis and radionecrosis of the manubrium and sternum. Body plethysmography and the rebreathing, hypercapnic ventilatory response test with inductive plethysmographic recordings of chest-wall motion were performed preoperatively and postoperatively. Preoperatively, four of the six patients had evidence of mild to moderate chest-wall restriction. Pulmonary function was normal in the other two patients. Postoperatively, total lung capacity was unchanged but the vital capacity decreased 11.5% in the overall group. Static compliance, retractive force, and the steady-state diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide decreased modestly but significantly postoperatively. The expiratory flow rates and maximal voluntary ventilation remained unchanged. Preoperatively, the slope of the hypercapnic ventilatory response was less than that predicted. Postoperatively, the slope did not change. In three patients, however, increased dependence on the abdomen for breathing suggested a dynamic restriction of rib-cage motion. On the basis of our findings, we conclude that surgical removal of the sternum and manubrium in conjunction with muscle flap repair is a well-tolerated procedure. Any postoperative changes in pulmonary function are minor.

Use of granulated sugar in treatment of open mediastinitis after cardiac surgery

19 critically ill adults with acute mediastinitis after cardiac surgery were treated with granulated sugar, either directly (11 patients) or after failure of continuous irrigation (8 patients). Mediastinal tissue cultures were positive in 18 patients. Packing the mediastinal cavity with granulated sugar every 3 or 4 h resulted in near-complete debridement of the wound and rapid formation of granulation tissue in all patients and sterilisation of the wound after an average of 7.6 days. Dressings were easy and painless to change. 5/19 (26%) patients died before discharge, but none because of wound complications. The rest were discharged on average 54.2 days (range 29-120) after initial debridement of the wound; 11 underwent secondary surgical closure of the wound and in 3 the wound healed by granulation tissue formation alone. No recurrence of sternal infection has occurred after a mean follow-up of 8.2 months (range 3 to 17).

Management of chronic sternal osteomyelitis

The management of 2 patients in whom chronic sternal osteomyelitis developed after apparently uncomplicated coronary artery bypass operations is described. Each patient had become totally disabled because of chronic, draining sinus tracts. Eradication of the infection required total sternectomy and excision of all infected costal cartilage. Subsequent reconstruction was accomplished by using bilateral pectoralis major myocutaneous advancement flaps without any maneuvers to stabilize the anterior chest wall. Both patients have resumed full activity and have returned to work with only minimal residual compromise of pulmonary function.

Mediastinal infection after cardiac surgery

Mediastinitis is an uncommon complication after cardiac surgery; however, its associated morbidity and mortality demand early recognition and emergency therapy. This review is intended to emphasize certain features of the incidence, pathogenesis, and bacteriology of this complication in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass through a median sternotomy. The diagnosis and treatment of mediastinitis after cardiac surgical procedures, as well as methods of prevention, are also reviewed.

Radiation to the breast. Complications amenable to surgical treatment

Major complications of radiation directed to the breast, axilla, and mediastinum were treated in 54 patients from 1974 to 1983. A classification of these complications facilitates both an understanding of the pattern of injury and the development of a treatment plan.

CLASSIFICATION

I. Breast necrosis; II. Radionecrosis and Chest Wall Ulceration; III. Accelerated Coronary Atherosclerosis with Median Sternotomy Wound Failure After Coronary Revascularization; IV. Brachial Plexus Pain and Paresis; V. Lymphedema and Axillary Cicatrix; VI. Radiation-induced Neoplasia. The treatment has evolved during the 10-year study period to excision of the necrotic wound, including any tumor, and closure with a transposed muscle or musculocutaneous flap of latissimus dorsi (II, III, V) or rectus abdominis (I, II, VI). This strategy reflects a change from primary use of the omentum during the first years of the study. The vascularity, oxygen and antibiotic delivery of these muscle and musculocutaneous flaps promote wound healing, usually with one operation. The transfer of these muscles has not caused significant functional deficits.

Myocutaneous and muscle flap reconstruction of problem wounds

The anatomic and physiologic basis of muscle and myocutaneous flaps, and the principal flaps in current use are described, and their application to exceptionally difficult wound management problems is discussed.

Chest wall reconstruction. Experience with 100 consecutive patients

Experience with 100 consecutive chest wall reconstructions during the past 7 years was reviewed. There were 52 female and 48 male patients with ages ranging from 13 to 78 years (average 53). Of the 100 patients, 42 had tumors of the chest wall, 19 had radiation necrosis, 24 had infected median sternotomies , and 15 had combinations of the three. Seventy-six patients underwent skeletal resection of the chest wall. An average of 5.7 ribs were resected in 63 patients. Total or partial sternectomies were performed in 29. Ninety-two patients underwent 142 muscle flaps: 77 pectoralis major, 29 latissimus dorsi, and 36 other muscles, including serratus anterior, rectus abdominis, and external oblique muscles. The omentum was transposed in ten patients. Chest wall skeletal defects were closed with Prolene mesh in 29 patients and with autogenous ribs in 11. Eighty-nine patients underwent primary closure of the skin. The 100 patients underwent an average of 2.1 operations. Hospitalization averaged 17.5 days. There was one perioperative death (29 days). Two patients required tracheostomy. Follow-up averaged 21.6 months. There were 24 late deaths. All 99 patients who were alive 30 days after operation had excellent results at the time of death or last follow-up.

Coverage of the infected wound

Fifty-four consecutive patients with chronic wounds were identified by the following criteria: (1) established infection for 6 months, (2) exposure of bone, mediastinum, or other vital structure, (3) mechanical and/or vascular limitations to delayed closure techniques, (4) no response to wound debridement in prolonged antibiotic therapy. These wounds were divided into four groups: osteomyelitis (21), pressure sore (17), soft tissue wound (10), and osteoradionecrosis (6). Wound treatment in all patients included debridement, muscle flap closure, and culture specific antibiotic therapy. These consecutively treated patients over a 4-year period presented with an average duration of chronic infection of 2.9 years. Ninety-three per cent of these patients after treatment have demonstrated stable coverage without recurrent infection with a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 4.6 years follow-up. The results demonstrate safe, effective coverage (93% of patients) of chronic infected wounds associated with long bone and pelvic osteomyelitis as well as chronic perineal sinuses following proctocolectomy and osteoradionecrosis. Debridement with short-term (average 12 days) antibiotic therapy has been effective when muscle flap coverage is provided.

The omentum: its use as a free vascularized graft for reconstruction of the head and neck

The experience at Emory University Affiliated Hospitals with transplantation of the greater omentum as a free revascularized graft in 18 patients is presented. In each instance, there was realization of the therapeutic objective, either 1) the amelioration of congenital or acquired somatic deformity (14 patients) or 2) the control of infection (4 patients). Because the omentum is a syncytium of blood vessels and a variable amount of fat within redundant leaves of peritoneal membrane laden with macrophages, it is a tissue that serves admirably its extended role as an extracelomic free transplant. The greater omentum has been used for this purpose in five patients with hemifacial atrophy (Romberg's disease); three patients with hemifacial microsomia (first and second branchial arch syndrome); two patients with extensive losses of the maxilla, palate, and face due to a shotgun blast; two patients with atrophy and facial growth arrest due to x-irradiation; and two patients with deformity of the jaw and neck following tumor resection. In three additional patients, the omentum was used to obliterate the dead space after debridement of an infected open frontal sinus following failure of conventional therapy. In one instance, a revascularized free graft of omentum was used to salvage a patient with an exposed irradiated carotid artery graft and skin flap failure following radical neck dissection. In these 18 patients, there were no intra-abdominal complications consequent to harvest of the omentum. In one patient afflicted with hemifacial atrophy, there was spotty necrosis of the overlying attenuated facial skin flap and limited fat necrosis. In the follow-up period of four months to seven years, there has been no instance of late resorption. The method is reliable and has considerable promise in reconstructive surgery.