Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2015; 63(01): 073-076
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1376402
Original Thoracic
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Major Bleeding in Patients with Mediastinitis: A Heartbreaking Series

Gloria Sue
1   Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
,
Gary Price
1   Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
,
Richard Stahl
1   Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
,
Edward Teng
1   Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
,
Deepak Narayan
1   Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

12 November 2013

05 March 2014

Publication Date:
29 May 2014 (online)

Abstract

Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a life-threatening complication that develops in 5% of patients undergoing median sternotomy. One feared complication is major bleeding, associated with up to 50% mortality. We characterized a series of patients who experienced major bleeding following DSWI. We included eight patients with DSWI who experienced major bleeding at our institution from 1990 to 2012. The median age was 70.9 (range, 47–81) and the cohort consisted of seven male patients and one female patient. All eight patients required emergent surgical repair for the bleeding and all survived past 30 days postoperatively from the repair.

Note

This work was presented as an oral presentation at the 54th Annual Meeting of the New England Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in June 2013.


 
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