In recent years, the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) devices has changed the way sternal wound infections are being managed. It is not uncommon for deep sternal wound infections to occur together with mediastinal or even pleural collections requiring underwater seal drainage. In these patients in whom there is a communication between the pleural and mediastinal cavities, the concomitant use of an NPWT device negates the pressure gradient within the pleural and mediastinal drains, allowing suppurative fluid to stagnate. We present a novel technique to address this limitation of NPWT devices in patients with sternal wound infections that communicate with a pleural collection.
Keywords: Mediastinitis; Negative pressure wound therapy device; Pleural effusion; Sternal wound infection.
© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.