Diagnosis and treatment strategy of complex post-sternotomy mediastinitis with exposure of artificial implants

Xie Kun; Zhang Zhengkui; Wen Bing

doi:10.3760/cma.j.cn501225-20240227-00074-0515

Volume 40 Issue 6

Jun. 2024

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Article Navigation > CHINESE JOURNAL OF BURNS AND WOUNDS > 2024 > 40(6): 536-542

Xie K,Zhang ZK,Wen B.Diagnosis and treatment strategy of complex post-sternotomy mediastinitis with exposure of artificial implants[J].Chin J Burns Wounds,2024,40(6):536-542.DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn501225-20240227-00074-0515.

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Diagnosis and treatment strategy of complex post-sternotomy mediastinitis with exposure of artificial implants

doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn501225-20240227-00074-0515

Department of Plastic and Burn Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China

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Corresponding author: Wen Bing, Email: wenhenhe16@sina.com
Received Date: 2024-02-27

Abstract

Abstract

Objective To explore the diagnosis and treatment strategy of complex post-sternotomy mediastinitis with exposure of artificial implants (hereinafter referred to as implants). Methods This study was a retrospective observational study. From January 2016 to January 2023, 16 patients with complex mediastinal infection with implant exposure after thoracotomy who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Peking University First Hospital, including 9 males and 7 females, aged from 21 to 74 years. The infected wounds were subjected to multiple thorough debridement and negative-pressure wound therapy until the infection was controlled, and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination was used to guide the operation after every debridement. During the operation, 5 cases of deep mediastinal pacing lead exposure, 1 case of deep mediastinal pacing lead exposure combined with pericardial patch exposure, 5 cases of pericardial patch exposure, 3 cases of artificial blood vessel exposure, and 2 cases of artificial blood vessel exposure combined with pericardial patch exposure were observed. Partial or complete implants were removed during debridement, therefore 8 patients who completely removed the middle mediastinum implants during the operation were included in the implant complete removal group. Then, according to the defects of the sternum and its surrounding soft tissue, unilateral or bilateral pectoralis major muscle flaps were used for chest wall reconstruction. The remaining 8 patients whose implants could not be completely removed were included in the implant partial removal group. The greater omentum flaps were used to cover the implants and fill the mediastinal defects. Two weeks later, the thigh medium-thickness skin grafts were transplanted on the surface of the greater omentum flaps. After debridement, the wound area was 20 cm×6 cm to 35 cm×10 cm. The area of pectoralis major muscle flap ranged from 15 cm×8 cm to 20 cm×10 cm, and the area of greater omentum flap ranged from 30 cm×15 cm to 40 cm×25 cm. The bacterial culture and high throughput sequencing test results of wound tissue samples of all patients were counted in the first debridement surgery. The hospitalization time, the time for C reactive protein (CRP) to decrease to normal level, and the number of operations were counted for all patients, and the above indexes of the two groups of patients were compared. During the follow-up, the wound recurrence of the patients was observed. Results The positive ratio of bacterial culture in wound tissue samples was 14/16 in the first debridement surgery, and the positive ratio of high throughput sequencing test was 16/16, with staphylococcus aureus as the bacteria causing most infection among patients. Except for one patient who died during the treatment (a patient in implant partial removal group), the hospitalization time was (56±5) d, the time for CRP to decrease to normal level was (18.9±2.2) d, and the number of operations was (4.5±0.5) times in the remaining patients. Compared with those in implant partial removal group, the length of hospital stay and the time for CRP to decline to normal level of patients in implant complete removal group were significantly shorter (with t values of 3.12 and 3.12, respectively, P<0.05), and the number of operations of patients in implant complete removal group was significantly decreased (t=3.38, P<0.05). All 15 surviving patients were followed up for more than 6 months, and no recurrence of mediastinitis was observed. Conclusions The treatment of complex mediastinal infection with exposed implants after thoracotomy is difficult, especially the wounds when the implants cannot be completely removed during debridement. The application of contrast-enhanced MRI examination combined with transplantation of tissue flap such as greater omentum flap and pectoralis major muscle flap can achieve good repair effect.
- Thoracotomy,
- Mediastinitis,
- Prostheses and implants,
- Nuclear magnetic resonance, biomolecular,
- Negative-pressure wound therapy

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