Deep Sternal Wound Infection and Mortality in Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a severe complication following cardiac surgery.
• Existing literature on long-term outcomes of DSWI presents conflicting findings.
• This study evaluates the impact of DSWI on both short- and long-term clinical outcomes.

Approach:

• A comprehensive meta-analysis was performed on 24 studies.
• Included 407,829 patients, with 6,437 (1.6%) experiencing DSWI.
• Systematic literature search identified comparative studies on DSWI and non-DSWI patients.

Key Points:

• DSWI is associated with a nearly twofold increased risk of overall mortality (IRR, 1.99).
• Patients with DSWI face higher in-hospital mortality (OR, 3.30) and follow-up mortality (IRR, 2.02).
• DSWI correlates with increased major adverse cardiovascular events and longer postoperative hospital stays.

Conclusions:

• DSWI significantly elevates the risk of death after cardiac surgery.
• Patients with DSWI experience worse short- and long-term clinical outcomes compared to those without.
• The findings highlight the critical impact of DSWI on patient prognosis.