Novel application of vacuum assisted closure technique to the treatment ofsternotomy wound infection

Infection of the sternotomy wound is a potentially devastating and sometime s lethal complication following cardiac surgery. Established treatment may involve a combination of debridement, packing, delayed closure, plastic rec onstruction, re-wiring and irrigation dependent on the severity of infectio n. Vacuum assisted closure, originally adopted for the treatment of non-hea ling wounds, has recently gained popularity among various surgical speciali ties in managing complex wound infection. Here we describe this novel techn ique of managing postoperative sternal wound infection. (C) 2000 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.