©The Author(s) 2015. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Crit Care Med. Nov 4, 2015; 4(4): 265-273
Published online Nov 4, 2015. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.v4.i4.265
Published online Nov 4, 2015. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.v4.i4.265
Deep sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery: Evidences and controversies
Paolo Cotogni, Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Department of Medicine, S. Giovanni Battista Hospital, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
Cristina Barbero, Mauro Rinaldi, Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, S. Giovanni Battista Hospital, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
Author contributions: Cotogni P and Barbero C developed the research question and review design, drafted and finalized the manuscript; Rinaldi M revised it critically for important intellectual content; all authors approved the final version.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflict of interests.
Correspondence to: Paolo Cotogni, MD, MSc, Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Department of Medicine, S. Giovanni Battista Hospital, University of Turin, Via Giovanni Giolitti 9, 10123 Turin, Italy. paolo.cotogni@unito.it
Telephone: +39-11-5171634 Fax: +39-11-6334324
Received: May 30, 2015
Peer-review started: May 30, 2015
First decision: August 14, 2015
Revised: September 18, 2015
Accepted: October 12, 2015
Article in press: October 13, 2015
Published online: November 4, 2015
Processing time: 160 Days and 14.9 Hours
Peer-review started: May 30, 2015
First decision: August 14, 2015
Revised: September 18, 2015
Accepted: October 12, 2015
Article in press: October 13, 2015
Published online: November 4, 2015
Processing time: 160 Days and 14.9 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Intensivists and cardiothoracic surgeons are commonly worried about surgical site infections due to increasing length of stay, costs, and mortality. In particular, deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a worrying complication after cardiac surgery, with a still relevant incidence. Unfortunately, DWSI appearance is related to a wide number of both patient and surgical factors. This review may be useful for guiding physicians to the knowledge of main risk factors and the choice of the appropriate management of DWSIs with the aim of reducing the rate of this potentially devastating complication in cardiac surgery patients.