World journal for pediatric & congenital heart surgery
-
World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg · May 2020
Multicenter StudyEfforts to Reduce Infections in Delayed Sternal Closure Patients: A Survey of Pediatric Practice.
Pediatric patients with sternum left open after cardiac surgery experience a higher risk for sternal wound infection (SWI). These infections are costly for programs, payers, and patients and their families. Despite efforts by individual programs to reduce infections in patients undergoing delayed sternal closure (DSC), there are no established guidelines that address preventive procedures. The purpose of this study was to determine the practice of pediatric cardiac surgery programs to prevent infection in their DSC patients and if preventive measures were associated with less infections. ⋯ The results of this survey of children's cardiac surgery programs describe their practices to reduce infection rates in DSC patients. A multicenter project on wound care and closure techniques that might impact this costly complication is needed.