Results of negative pressure wound therapy for deep sternal wound infections after cardiac surgery

Objectives: The aim of this study was to present the outcomes of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) after cardiac surgery. Patients and methods: Sixty-eight patients (35 males, 33 females; mean age: 60.1±10.1 years; range, 18 to 80 years) who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery or valvular heart surgery between January 2017 and December 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who underwent NPWT for DSWI after cardiac surgery were included in the study. Baseline and postoperative characteristics of the patients were presented. Previously claimed risk factors for mortality were investigated. Results: The time interval between cardiac surgery and diagnosis of DSWI was 35.8±30.2 days. The mean duration of NPWT was 21.1±11.8 days. In-hospital mortality was 14.7%. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most frequently isolated microorganism (n=26, 38.2%), followed by Klebsiella spp. (n=10, 14.7%). The only factor associated with higher mortality was the female sex in our DSWI patients. Conclusion: Negative pressure therapy is a safe and reliable treatment option in patients with DSWI with or without sternal dehiscence.