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Published on: July 18, 2014
Mediastinitis after cardiac surgery--epidemiology and current treatment
G Marggraf1, F H Splittgerber, M Knox
1The Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Essen, Germany. guenter.marggraf@uni-essen.de
Abstract:
Mediastinal infection is a feared complication observed after 0.4%-5% of cardiac operations. Even today the mortality remains as high as 20%-40%. We discuss the aetiology, mechanisms, prevention, diagnosis, and medical management. The staging system for mediastinal wound infections developed at a joint conference of German cardiac surgical centres is presented. The use of parenteral polyvalent immunoglobulins is also discussed.
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