[Clinical analysis of chronic sternal osteomyelitis with sinus tract after cardiovascular surgery]

Objective: To explore the diagnosis, therapy and prevention method of chronic sternal osteomyelitis with sinus tract after cardiovascular surgery. Methods: A total of 53 patients with chronic sternal sinus tract after cardiovascular surgery between January 2000 and January 2016. After definite diagnosis by contrast fistulography and CT scanning, all the patients received combined modality therapy including debridement, musculocutaneous flap transplantation and intermediate thickness free skin graft transplantation if necessary. Results: One patient died of false aneurysm due to the sternal sinus tract infection, there were no peri-operative death for all the left 52 patients. Forty-five patients had primary healing and 7 patients had secondary healing. All the patients became total recovery within 3-12 weeks after operation and maintained well during the 5-18 months' follow-up. Conclusions: For the patients with chronic sternal osteomyelitis, operative therapy should be performed as soon as possible once the diagnosis is confirmed. Combined modality therapy including debridement, musculocutaneous flap transplantation and intermediate thickness free skin graft transplantation is confirmed to be effective and secure.