ISSN : 1301-5680
e-ISSN : 2149-8156
Turkish Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery     
Delayed sternal closure following open heart surgery in children
Tolga Tatar1, Murat Özkan2, Süleyman Özkan3, Bülent Sarıtaş2, Oktay Korun2, Sait Aşlamacı2
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Medicine Faculty of Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Medicine Faculty of Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey
3Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Medicine Faculty of Acıbadem University, İstanbul, Turkey
DOI : 10.5606/tgkdc.dergisi.2012.049
Background: In this article, we reviewed the clinical results of patients in which delayed sternum closing was performed following neonatal open-heart surgery.

Methods: Between April 2008 and April 2011, delayed sternum closure was performed for 142 of 1416 pediatric open-heart operations. Mortality and wound infection rates as well as duration of mechanical ventilation were assessed in this patient group with a mean body weight of 3.55 kg and mean age of 33 days.

Results: In-hospital mortality rate was found to be 31.6% (n=45) of a total of 142 patients whose sternum remained open. The mean time to close sternum was 44 hours in 97 survivors. Only one patient developed mediastinitis, while four patients (4% of survivors) developed superficial wound infection. The mean length of stay on mechanical ventilation was 102 hours.

Conclusion: Although delayed sternum closure is not a new application, it deserves a special attention because of the increasing incidence of neonatal open heart surgery and thanks to its unique advantages.

Keywords : Cardiac surgery; intensive care; pediatrics
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