Endoscopic release of the sternum in reoperative cardiac surgery
Gabriele Di Luozzo1, John Schor, Ernest Traad
1Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mount Sinai Medical Center and Jackson Memorial Medical Center/Miller, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami Beach, FL 33140, USA.
Journal of Cardiac Surgery
|February 24, 2006
Abstract:
Reoperation for progressive coronary artery disease, graft closure, or valvular disease carries a higher risk to the patient. Sternal reentry is a formidable obstacle to the cardiac surgeon as a result of mediastinal scarring and adherence of vital structures to the sternum. We present our technique with endoscopic release of the sternum as an alternate, safe method of sternal reentry.
