ISSN : 1301-5680
e-ISSN : 2149-8156
Turkish Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery     
Using the reciprocating saw for resternotomy
Hesham Z Saleh, Jonathan Yates, Lawrence Moulton, D Mark Pullan, Brian M Fabri
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, UK
DOI : 10.5606/tgkdc.dergisi.2013.6945
Contrary to a prevailing practice advocating the use of an oscillating saw for sternal re-entry, some surgeons prefer using a reciprocating saw in cases of resternotomy. In this article, we describe a simple technique for resternotomy using a reciprocating saw. This technique has been used in 158 consecutive patients representing the routine resternotomy practice of two surgeons. Only one patient had a significant bleeding requiring urgent institution of cardiopulmonary bypass. No mortality related to resternotomy was seen.
Keywords : Reciprocating saw; resternotomy; sternum/surgery
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