Treatment of mediastinitis by ventrofil plates without sternal rewiring

Mediastinitis is a serious complication of cardiac surgical procedures, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. We describe a new simple surgical technique to treat deep sternal infection based on the removal of all wires and deep sutures, and reapproximation of the sternum with four external plates without rewiring. Fourteen patients were treated with this technique. No complications related to the procedure occurred, the infection was successfully treated in all patients, and only 1 patient underwent vacuum treatment to obtain healing of the wound.