TY - JOUR AU - Petrella, Francesco AU - Arlati, Francesco AU - Mariolo, Alessio Vincenzo AU - Gennari, Marco AU - Pirola, Sergio AU - Polvani, Gianluca AU - Spaggiari, Lorenzo PY - 2018 TI - Distal sternectomy for post-sternotomy chronic osteomyelitis JF - Journal of Visualized Surgery; Vol 4 (September 2018): Journal of Visualized Surgery Y2 - 2018 KW - N2 - Sternal chronic osteomyelitis following median sternotomy is a severe complication of open cardiac surgery, presenting as purulent draining sinus tracts in patients with a closed sternal wound. First-line treatments are repeated curettages, conservative debridements, aggressive antibiotic therapy and the application of negative pressure to wound to accelerate the wound-healing process and promote granulation tissue formation, by using the vacuum-assisted closure device. Recalcitrant infections may require sternectomy and resection of all infected costal cartilages for complete eradication of the infection. Here we report a case of recalcitrant post sternotomy osteomyelitis treated by distal sternectomy and reconstruction by absorbable mesh. UR - https://jovs.amegroups.org/article/view/21273