• Christoph Schimmer, Justus Gross, Elena Ramm, Björn-Carsten Morfeld, Grischa Hoffmann, Bernd Panholzer, Jürgen Hedderich, Rainer Leyh, Jochen Cremer, and Rainer Petzina.
• Department of Cardiothoracic and Thoracic Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
• Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2017 Jan 1; 51 (1): 67-72.

ObjectivesSurgical site infection (SSI) of the sternum is a devastating complication in cardiac surgery. The aim of this prospective randomized controlled two-centre clinical study was to compare the use of a gentamicin-collagen sponge (Genta-Coll® resorb) and of a cyanoacrylate-based microbial skin sealant (InteguSeal®) on the SSI rate of the sternum.MethodsWe analysed data from 996 consecutive patients following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting between 2012 and 2014. The patients were randomized into three groups: standard group (S-group), Genta-Coll group (G-group) and InteguSeal group (I-group). The primary study end-point was to analyse the incidence of superficial and deep sternal SSI. The secondary study end-point was to determine independent risk factors for an increased SSI rate.ResultsOf the 996 patients investigated, 332 patients were in S-group, 336 patients in G-group and 328 patients in I-group. The mean age was 67.7 ± 9.4 years, 18.6% were women and the overall SSI rate was 6.2% with 2.2% deep sternal wound infections. SSI rates were 8.3% (S-group), 5.4% (G-group) and 4.9% (I-group) (P 0.16). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated a preoperative body mass index (BMI) of >30 kg/m2 (P 0.047), re-thoracotomy for postoperative bleeding (P < 0.001) and sternum instability (P < 0.001) as independent predictors for an increased SSI rate.ConclusionsThe application of InteguSeal® or Genta-Coll® resorb had no significant influence on the incidence of the sternal SSI rate in 996 consecutive cardiac surgery patients but demonstrated a trend towards a benefit from using these prophylactic approaches. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated a preoperative BMI of >30 kg/m2, re-thoracotomy for bleeding and sternum instability as independent predictors for an increased sternal SSI rate.© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

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