Commentary: How Should We Build The Wall? The Importance of Sternal Closure

Median sternotomy remains the most common cardiac surgical incision used to access the heart and great vessels. Although sternotomy allows safe and effective exposure of mediastinal structures, complications including chronic pain, sternal instability and non-union, surgical site infection and mediastinitis cause significant morbidity and mortality.1 In addition, sternal complications add to procedural costs and overall hospital length of stay. The importance of the sternotomy closure to a successful cardiac operation cannot be overstated.
Source: Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Tags: ADULT – Commentary Source Type: research