Major cardiac rupture following surgical treatment for deep sternal wound infection

Abstract

We report a case of an 80-year old male patient who sustained a major rupture of the right ventricle after surgical revision of an infected sternotomy wound following coronary artery bypass surgery. The rupture of the right ventricle occurred despite an early wound debridement and the use of negative pressure wound therapy on the sternum that did not provide sufficient stability to the sternum after the sternal wires were removed. The rupture resulted in a major bleeding but by establishing emergent cardiopulmonary bypass, the patient was saved.