Ali Asghar Moinipoor - Department of Cardiac Surgery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mohammad Abbasi - Department of Cardiac Surgery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Ahmad Amouzeshi - Department of Cardiac Surgery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Jamil Esfahanizadeh - Department of Cardiac Surgery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Shahram Amini - Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Introduction: Deep sternal wound infection is a rare but serious complication after cardiac surgery that can increase mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and causative germs of deep sternal wound infection following cardiac surgery.   Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from patients who underwent different cardiac surgeries including coronary artery bypass grafting and valvular heart surgeries between July ۲۰۱۰ and October ۲۰۱۲ at a teaching hospital in the north east of Iran. Patients with a deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) were defined based on clinical findings and culture results of the wound. The patients were tracked for the development of DSWI and causative germs and sensitivity were identified according to the microbiological studies.   Results: ۴۶۲۱ patients underwent different cardiac surgeries during the study period. There were ۸۲ cases (۱.۷۷%) of DSWI with mean age of ۵۳.۹۳ years and male to female ratio of ۴۷:۳۵ with mortality rate of ۱۰.۹%. The most common germs in order of decreasing frequency included Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Staphylococus Coagulase Negative, Acinetobacter, Staphylocciaureus, Escherichia coli, methicillin resistant Staphylocciaureus, Providenciarettgeri, and Obligatory anaerobe Streptococus.   Conclusions: We conclude that DSWI remains a rare but devastating complication and is associated with significant comorbidity, increased hospital mortality, and reduced long-term survival with gram negative rods as the most common pathogens.

deep sternal wound infection, cardiac surgery, mortality, deep sternal wound infection, cardiac surgery, mortality