RETROSTERNAL FAT PAD FOR PREVENTION OF SUPPURATIVE STERNITIS

An increased incidence of postoperative sternal infection has been rep orted after the use of bilateral internal mammary arteries for coronar y artery grafting. In this series, a pedicled pericardial fat pad was mobilized to Lie in the retrosternal space before the sternum was appr oximated. This technique was used in 101 consecutive patients who unde rwent coronary artery grafting using bilateral internal mammary arteri es., Twenty-four percent of the patients were diabetic, No suppurative sternitis developed in any of these patients. (C) 1997 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.